Union County Sheriff's Office
Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan, Undersheriffs Michael Frank and Amilcar Colon and Captain Dennis Burke congratulate newly promoted Sergeant Anastasio Anastasatos of Clark during a ceremony in the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. Sergeant Anastasatos, a 13-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, is assigned to the Crime Scene Unit and also instructs at the John H. Stamler Police Academy. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Press release reposted from the District Attorney’s Office in New York County, in the State of New York.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., and New York City Police Commissioner William J. Bratton today announced the indictment of ABDUL DAVIS, 52, for selling 82 firearms and corresponding ammunition to an undercover NYPD detective posing as a Manhattan-based gun dealer, and DAVIS’s girlfriend, SHELITA FUNDERBERK, 50, for her role in the sales. The indictment also charges four Virginia- and Georgia-based men – TRENTON POINTER, 45, DAEMON JENKINS, 49, MALIK RAINEY, 44, and MILTON TILLERY, 37 – for knowingly supplying the firearms for illegal sales in New York City.
The defendants are all charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, as well as various counts of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First, Second, and Third Degrees.[1] The indictment follows a long-term investigation, including the use of court-authorized wiretaps, conducted by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office’s Trial Division and detectives from the NYPD’s Firearms Investigation Unit.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., said: “This alleged interstate trafficking conspiracy clearly illustrates how deadly firearms from ‘Iron Pipeline’ states flood New York City’s streets. To stem the flow of illegal guns, we must deter traffickers from this lucrative business by prosecuting not only Manhattan-based illegal weapons dealers, but residents of Southern states who knowingly provide them with guns to be resold in our city.
“But to deter those who stand to make tens of thousands of dollars by selling large quantities of firearms, we must enhance the penalties they face. Currently, whether a defendant sells 10 firearms or 10,000, the penalty is the same: a class B felony. Today I am asking the New York State legislature to create a new A-1 felony, Operating as a Major Firearms Trafficker, for those who illegally sell or possess 20 or more firearms. Modeled after New York’s existing – and proven – Drug Kingpin statute, our proposed Gun Kingpin statute is necessary to put wholesale, illegal weapons dealers out of business.”
Police Commissioner William J. Bratton said: “Illegal firearms like these fuel the very violence in our streets we seek to combat. As alleged, Abdul Davis is responsible for selling more than six dozen firearms in more than 26 separate transactions on the streets of Manhattan. I commend the investigators of the Firearms Investigations Unit and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for dismantling this firearms ring.”
According to the indictment and documents filed in court, between March 16, 2015, and April 19, 2016, DAVIS sold 82 firearms, including 67 pistols, 8 revolvers, 5 assault weapons, and 2 shotguns, as well as corresponding ammunition, to an undercover NYPD detective posing as a Manhattan-based firearms dealer. The sales occurred over 26 separate transactions, all of which took place in the vicinity of West 166th Street and Saint Nicholas Avenue in Washington Heights. The sales were conducted in or around the undercover detective’s vehicle, at an average price of approximately $1,150 per firearm. In one instance, DAVIS sold the undercover a Bushmaster Firearms semi-automatic assault rifle with a hundred-round drum magazine and matching ammunition.
FUNDERBERK was present for multiple sales, and drove DAVIS to at least two of the transactions. The investigation revealed that FUNDERBERK allowed DAVIS to use funds from her bank account to purchase the firearms, and, on multiple occasions, wired money to DAVIS for that purpose.
DAVIS allegedly purchased the firearms from Virginia-based co-defendants JENKINS, TILLERY, and POINTER, and Georgia-based RAINEY. Typically, DAVIS negotiated sales over the phone or through text messages, wired money to the firearms dealers’ accounts, and travelled to their homes to pick up the weapons. On some occasions, the firearm dealers agreed to receive payment after DAVIS successfully returned to Manhattan and sold the weapons to the undercover detective.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Unit (VCEU) and the NYPD’s Firearms Investigation Unit. VCEU was created in 2010 by District Attorney Vance to lead the efforts of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in combatting gun and gang violence, with a special focus on illegal firearms trafficking within New York City. Since its formation, VCEU has brought 22 indictments against 70 gun traffickers operating between New York City and states including Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Since its creation, VCEU has increased gun trafficking prosecutions by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office by more than 1,000 percent, and has conducted investigations resulting in the removal of more than 1,000 illegal firearms from the streets of New York City.
Assistant District Attorney David Nasar is prosecuting the cases under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Christopher Prevost, Deputy Chief of VCEU; Christopher Ryan, Chief of VCEU; and David O’Keefe, Deputy Chief of the Trial Division; as well as Executive Assistant District Attorney John Irwin, Chief of the Trial Division. Investigative Analysts Stephanie Littell and William Andrewes are assisting with the case.
District Attorney Vance thanked Police Commissioner Bratton, as well as Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce, Deputy Chief James Essig, Deputy Inspector Brian Gill, Captain Jonathan Korabel, Lieutenant Thomas McPartland, Sergeants Matthew Griffin and Robert Abramson, Detectives Christopher Shaughnessy and Douglas Lansing, and the undercover detectives of the Firearms Investigation Unit.
District Attorney Vance also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service’s Richmond, VA, Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, as well as the Union County (NJ)’s Sheriff’s Office’s Warrant Squad, for their assistance with the investigation.
[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court, including the indictments, and statements made on the record in court.Defendant Information:
ABDUL DAVIS, D.O.B. 3/23/1964
Linden, NJ
Charges:
SHELITA FUNDERBERK, D.O.B. 10/31/1965
Linden, NJ
Charges:
TRENTON POINTER, D.O.B. 1/16/1971
Chesterfield, VA
Charges:
MALIK RAINEY, D.O.B. 4/14/1972
Fayetteville, GA
Charges:
DAEMON JENKINS, D.O.B. 7/20/1966
Richmond, VA
Charges:
MILTON TILLERY, D.O.B. 12/9/1978
Richmond, VA
Charges:
Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan would like to extend the following invitation:
Please Join the Union County Sheriff’s Office
K-9 Unit for a Memorial Service for
K-9 Lorcan
2007-2016
Beloved Partner of Sergeant Ryan Wilson
Memorial Service
Wednesday May 11, 2016 10:00 am
Union County Sheriff’s K-9 Facility
196 Glenside Avenue, Summit NJ 07901
(908) 273-1608
Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi and Union County Surrogate James LaCorte congratulate the top winners of the 2016 “My County” poster contest sponsored by the Union County Constitutional Officers.
The top winners of the contest are (from 2nd left): Reed Cabral (1st place) from St. Bartholomew Academy in Scotch Plains, Tatiana Fecowycz (2nd place) from Holy Trinity Interparochial School in Westfield, Julia Polo (3rd place) from St. John the Apostle Elementary School in Clark and Jonathan Moncayo (4th place) from the Ronald Reagan Academy #30 in Elizabeth.
More than 200 fourth grade students from schools throughout Union County entered the contest.
(Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan swears in newly promoted Sheriff’s Sergeant Ryan Wilson of Kenilworth during a ceremony at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. Holding the Bible is Sergeant Wilson’s wife Jennifer.
(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan, Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Elizabeth Councilman Manny Grova congratulate newly promoted Sheriff’s Captain Mark Banek of Clark, Lieutenant Carlo Caparruva of Elizabeth and Sergeant David Pepe of Clark during a ceremony at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth.
(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, Sheriff Joe Cryan, Elizabeth Councilman William Gallman, Union County College President Margaret McMenamin, Union County Human Service Director Frank Guzzo and Sean Lacon of Blessed Ministries joined Senator Raymond J. Lesniak in kicking off the Senator’s pilot program which leverages private donations to assist food stamp recipients to either find a job or participate in a training or work-related program that maintains their benefits.
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Sheriff Joe Cryan, Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, and a number of other elected officials, educational, clergy and non-profit leaders today joined with Senator Raymond J. Lesniak in kicking off the Senator’s pilot program which leverages private donations to assist food stamp recipients to either find a job or participate in a training or work-related program that maintains their benefits.
The pilot program comes amidst news that as many as 11,000 -20,000 New Jersey residents—and as many as 1,500 in Union County—could lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by November. This is the result of the Christie Administration’s decision not to seek an extension (or waiver) of benefits from the Federal Government for single, able-bodied adults (18-49 years of age) without dependents who receive SNAP benefits. The announcement was also timely given that March is National Nutrition Month, a campaign that focuses on the importance of food choices.
“The pilot program is the right thing to do, not only for Union County residents who receive SNAP benefits, but for all of New Jersey’s residents who may lack the means to put food on their table,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “We’re proud to stand with Senator Lesniak in kicking off this important initiative.”
The legislation, S-2366, entitled “the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Demonstration Project was signed into law in 2013, and was sponsored by Lesniak and Senator Joseph F. Vitale of Middlesex. The bill has the state Department of Human Services partner with local agencies, non-profits, and colleges and universities to provide food stamp recipients with job training funded by private foundations with matching funds from the federal government.
“The program is unique in that it matches private sector money to Federal money—at no cost to the state–in funding jobs training programs for SNAP recipients,” said Senator Lesniak. “At a time when many of our residents are still struggling to pay for food and now facing the loss of benefits, we call upon the state Department of Human Services to expand the pilot program across the state.”
Mayor Bollwage noted: “This Job Training and Placement PILOT program for SNAP recipients will increase options for residents, enable them to acquire and hone skills as well as enhance their abilities. From assisting with retaining benefits to improving the overall quality of life, this initiative supports the wellness of our community.”
The state Department of Human Services selected two non-profits, Blessed Ministries Inc. and YouthBuild, Newark Inc., to run pilot programs that would help as many as 400 or so SNAP recipients in four counties—Union, Essex, Hudson and Passaic Counties—to find work or engage in a work-related activity or program that would help them retain benefits.
Blessed Ministries Inc.’s pilot program was funded in part through a $500,000 donation from the Nicholson Foundation of Newark, and matched through U.S. Department of Labor funds passed through the State Division of Family Development. YouthBuild, Newark Inc.’s programming is supported by the U.S. Department of Labor, multiple State agencies, the Victoria and Prudential Foundations, and other public and private sources.
“We’re excited to have been chosen to work with Union County among the counties in our service area,” said Sean LaCon, Chairman and Founder of Blessed Ministries. “We’ve developed a rapid advancement and employment program which will help SNAP recipients with the skills they need to find employment.” LaCon also thanked Lesniak and the Nicholson Foundation for their support.
“This pilot brings much-needed resources to work that is often overlooked in State and federal policy discussions for a population that is vital to communities and families thriving,” cited YouthBuild Newark’s Founding Executive Director Robert Clark. “We are eager to build upon Senator Lesniak’s vision and collaborate with partners such as the Urban League of Essex County to maximize its impact.”
Statewide, 884,937 residents—or roughly one of every ten New Jersey residents—receive SNAP benefits. In Union County, 49,578 residents, including 24,462 children—receive SNAP benefits according to a December, 2015 New Jersey Department of Human Services report. A recent study by the Food Research and Action Center, a non-profit group, indicates the number could be much higher since the State of New Jersey ranks among the 15 worst nationally in reaching SNAP-eligible people.
Union County Human Services Director Frank Guzzo explained that in order to enroll in a jobs training program such as Blessed Ministries and YouthBuild Newark, Inc., Union County SNAP clients must first be found eligible and referred through County Human Services personnel at one of the County’s One Stop Centers.
The State has sent out letters to single, able-bodied adults without dependents (known as ABAWDs) who receive SNAP benefits and who face a potential loss of benefits due to the loss of waivers, asking them to report on the following dates for an informational session and assessment:
Anyone who has questions about their benefits should call the statewide SNAP Hotline at 855-450-3109.
A significant portion of SNAP recipients are low-income, low skill residents with limited job prospects, who are more likely to lack basic skills in reading, writing, and math, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Many SNAP recipients are also homeless, according to Linda Flores-Tober, Executive Director of the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless.
“Every year, we are seeing more and more homeless people access our services,” said Flores-Tober. “Any effort that addresses food insecurity among the homeless and poor is certainly welcome, but we certainly have a long way to go in the state.”
According to a U.S. Department of Labor study released in 2015, New Jersey’s long term jobless rate remains among the highest in the nation with more than 40 percent of its unemployed residents having been jobless at least 27 weeks. Only New Mexico and Washington D.C. posted higher rates. The impact from the state’s persistently sluggish recovery is being felt at New Jersey’s food banks, which have seen the ongoing, record demand dramatically shrink their inventory.
The latest report from Feeding America, a nutritional advocacy group, shows more than 1.1 million people across the state face hunger, and almost 400,000 of them are children. That puts New Jersey’s overall food insecurity rate at more than 12%, but children fare worse, with their food insecurity rate now 18%, and nearly one in five facing hunger.
“This is an ongoing crisis that many residents in New Jersey may not be aware of,” said Debra Vizzi, President and CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, which is headquartered in Hillside. “We applaud any effort to assist SNAP recipients maintain their benefits or find work, and to call attention to the hunger crisis in New Jersey.”
Pastor Carmine Pernini, of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rahway who is representing the Union County Interfaith Coordinating Council, added: “As first responders in our congregations and communities, clergy see and know firsthand how essential SNAP is to quality of life for so many. It is our hope that the funding of SNAP remain in place in support of those most in need of help in keeping food on their table for them and their families.”
Union County College President Margaret M. McMenamin, who also joined the announcement, was recently notified by the state that at least 100 SNAP clients will be seeking the College’s services for training and placement services—in a program unrelated to Lesniak’s pilot project. The program will be funded through the State Department of Labor Workforce Development and will providing training and placement for
“These are people who need a boost: to learn a new skill or to build on the educational credentials they already have,” McMenamin said. “That’s what community colleges do. We welcome our neediest residents with open arms and give them that boost toward achieving a better life.”
The kick-off to Lesniak’s SNAP Pilot program initiative was held at the African American Cultural and Learning Center on Spring Street in Elizabeth. Scheduled speakers included Senator Lesniak, Freeholder Chairman Bergen, Mayor Bollwage, Sheriff Cryan, Sean LaCon of Blessed Ministries, YouthBuild Newark Board Member Craig Drinkard, Linda Flores-Tober of the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless, Debra Vizzi of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Union County College President Dr. Margaret McMenamin, Pastor Carmine Pernini of the Union County Interfaith Coordinating Council, Pastor Carlos J. Torres, 7th Day Adventist Church with four branches in Elizabeth, Frank Guzzo, Director of the Union County Department of Human Services, members of the Clergy and SNAP clients.
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The County of Union’s Freeholders and Sheriff’s Officers participated reading to children during Union County’s Education Association’s annual Read Across America event.
Sheriff Officers read to students in Clark, Union Township, Roselle Park and Plainfield.
Read Across America is a reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading in honor of the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss on March 2.
Officer Anastasio Anastasatos reading to Children in the Valley Road School in Clark, NJ
Officer Hanif Davis reading to children in the Hannah Caldwell School in Union, NJ
A note received from a child at the Hannah Caldwell School in Union after Officer Davis read to the class.
Officer Shameko Greene with the staff Cedarbrook School Plainfield, NJ
Applications available online JULY 1, 2016 to AUGUST 31, 2016
Submit your application and payment online. Receive an immediate confirmation that your application and payment have been received!
Visit the Civil Service Commission website at www.state.nj.us/csc on July 1, 2016 and select “Law Enforcement Announcement” to view the announcement. Scroll to the bottom and “Click here to apply via the Online Application System” to access the application.
Only online applications will be accepted. Application Deadline AUGUST 31, 2016
Below is information provided by the IRS Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). You can attach their link to your website regarding the ongoing IRS Fine Solicitation Scam, and what your constituents can do to avoid becoming a victim. Here’s the link – https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/. The information details what to do if you receive one of these calls (best advice – ignore), and where to report the information identifying the caller(s).
Taxpayers – Beware of IRS Impersonators! Don’t become a victim this filing season
If you believe you have been a victim of an IRS Impersonation Scam, contact the IRS Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
If you get a call from someone claiming to be with the IRS asking for a payment, here’s what to do: