Union County Sheriff's OfficePoor choices on anti-theft controls by Hyundai/Kia have made many of their vehicles easy to steal – a failure that has led to a surge of auto thefts and public safety issues. Protect your vehicle and help us curb auto theft in New Jersey.
On August 22, 2023, members of the Union County Sheriff’s Office Family Violence Unit, in collaboration with the US Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Force, conducted an investigation to locate Ernesto Martinez, who was wanted by the Fulton County, Georgia police department for possession of a weapon and trafficking illegal narcotics, including heroin.
Martinez was found as a passenger in a vehicle driven by Nicole Salazar Hurtado in Roselle Park, NJ. The officers tried to stop the vehicle, but Hurtado ignored the emergency lights and sirens, initiating a vehicle pursuit. Eventually, Hurtado’s vehicle came to a stop, and Martinez fled on foot. Martinez was captured shortly after a short distance from the vehicle.
Inside the vehicle, officers found an untraceable assault rifle, also known as a “ghost gun,” along with a fully loaded high-capacity magazine.
Martinez was charged with the following: Fugitive from Justice, Resisting by Flight, Unlawful Possession of an Assault Weapon, Prohibited Weapon – Unserialized Firearm, and Prohibited Large Capacity Magazine.
Hurtado was charged with eluding by motor vehicle, unlawful possession of an assault weapon, prohibited weapon (unserialized firearm), and prohibited large capacity magazine.
Both Martinez and Hurtado were committed to Union County Jail.
Sheriff Peter Corvelli was on hand to direct the return of Everoy L. Morrison to Union County from Maryland, where he stands accused of two counts of first-degree murder and numerous weapons offenses in the murders of 45-year-old Keisha Morrison and her 9-year-old daughter Kelsey Morrison of Roselle.
Members of the Union County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Investigations Unit worked with Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel and his staff to extradite Morrison from the Baltimore County Detention Center in Maryland where he has been held since his arrest.
These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Union County Sheriff’s K9 Unit is saddened to announce the passing of retired K9 Sam on June 5, 2023. K9 Sam was born in the Netherlands on April 7, 2014, and began his career with the Union County Sheriff’s Office on March 17, 2016. He was dual trained in patrol work and narcotics detection. K9 Sam retired from the Sheriff’s Office in July 2020. We want to offer our condolences to Sergeant Current for her loss.
Sgt. Anastasatos recently presented Sheriff Corveilli with a bail bond from 1792. This historical document was signed by Sheriff Benjamin Williamson of the Borough of Elizabeth, prior to the 1857 creation of Union County.
Sgt. Anastasatos was contacted by Mr. Dewayne Bennet of Liberty, South Carolina, who seized the bail bond through an estate. Mr. Bennet expressed a desire to return this priceless artifact to, “The Sheriff’s Office of which it came from after 231 years.” Sgt. Anastasatos worked with fellow history buff Mr. Bennett to have the document shipped home to the Union County Sheriff’s Office. After confirming the legitimacy of the document through the Library of Congress, Sgt. Anastasatos delivered the bail bond to me where it will be proudly displayed among other important historical items highlighting the history of the Sheriff’s Office.
For a frame of reference here are some fun facts about the United States in 1792:
Sheriff Peter Corvelli and Undersheriffs Caparruva and Manata congratulated Sheriff’s Officer Anthony Scorese on being the recipient of the Academic Achievement Award for the 127th session of the John H. Stamler Police Academy this past December.
Officer Scorese scored a final grade point average of 95.86% placing him at the top of his class. His award will be proudly displayed in the Sheriff’s Office along with the 14 previous recipients of this prestigious award.
Today I am joined today on the steps of the historic Union County Courthouse by Undersheriffs Caparruva and Manata to honor Captain Frank Miller (27 years), Sergeant John Gillespie (33 years) and Sergeant Michael King (25 years) for their service to this Office and the County of Union. Good luck and enjoy your retirement, gentlemen!
Sheriff Peter Corvelli and the Union County Sheriff’s Office Tree of Hope committee would like to thank members of the Bayway Refinery Alliance for their continued support and generosity. On Wednesday, December 21st Bayway refinery alliance members delivered 2 truck loads of toys to be distributed this holiday season to less-than-fortunate children across our county.
The Tree of Hope is a non-profit organization run by Lieutenant Tara Halpin and several Union County Sheriff’s Officers. The Tree of Hope started in 1997 when Sheriff Officers encountered children in the courts who were going to experience a less than-happy holiday season.
The children were homeless or living in shelters, were victims of domestic violence, or were medically fragile. Their parents or guardians did not have the financial ability to provide holiday gifts. Every year since, the Tree of Hope committee has set up a tree in the Union County Superior Courthouse in Elizabeth, which features ornaments with a wish for a particular gift for each child. In addition to the tree, the organization has also established online wish lists, through Amazon and Walmart that are filled with new toys the participating children requested.
Due to the generosity of Union County employees and several organizations who have donated to the program, the organization provides toys to several hundred children every holiday season.
In addition to the annual toy drive, the Tree of Hope organization has hosted several clothing drives to assist families in financial need, the homeless in Union County, and victims of house fires.
For additional information please contact the organization at 908-629-2158 or email Lieutenant Tara Halpin at thalpin@ucnj.org.
During the first week of December, Lieutenants Medvedich, Bracciale, and Vlahogiannis (not pictured) attended the 62nd Executive Leadership Institute through the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA). All three Lieutenants earned the FBI – LEEDA Trilogy Award. This prestigious award is presented to Law Enforcement professionals who complete all three levels of the LEEDA program.
The mission of FBI-LEEDA is to advance the science and art of law enforcement leadership and promote the exchange of information to improve law enforcement management practices through training, education, and networking among police professionals across the United States and beyond.
Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli and Union County Commissioner Lourdes Leon would like to congratulate Crime Scene Unit Officers Giovanni Cisneros and Suzette Garrido on successful completion of the 7-week New Jersey State Police Crime Scene Investigations Course.
This 7-week program is an intense 280-hour course that covers fingerprint identification, courtroom testimony, forensic photography, shooting reconstruction, bloodstain pattern analysis, and laboratory examinations (including autopsies, DNA, serology, etc.). In addition to these subjects, this course conducted mock crime scene practicals, report writing exercises, simulated courtroom testimony exercises, and written examinations.
Outside of the 10-week training course at the National Forensic Academy in Tennessee, this is the most elite and intense training course our officers are required to complete.