Tag: Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office
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North Brunswick man convicted of murdering next-door neighbor
A North Brunswick man was convicted on Feb. 28 of fatally shooting his next-door neighbor more than two years ago. Roland E. Amos, 44, was found guilty of murder for fatally shooting Brian A. Hoey, 43. He also was convicted of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon and hindering…
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Iselin EMT/firefighter charged in child pornography investigation
WOODBRIDGE – A township man has been charged with exchanging sexually explicit messages with a 12-year-old boy and sending explicit photos of himself after receiving a lewd photo of the youngster. Zachary Motta, 22, of the Iselin section of Woodbridge, was charged on Feb. 24 with endangering the welfare of a child and possession of child…
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South Amboy detective charged with stealing cash from evidence room
SOUTH AMBOY – A South Amboy police officer has been charged with stealing approximately $3,000 in cash that was seized during criminal investigations and held as evidence at the South Amboy Police Department. Detective Matthew Barcheski, 39, of South Amboy, was charged on Feb. 23 with theft and a related count of official misconduct for taking…
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Woman suffers fatal injuries during fire at her home
EAST BRUNSWICK – A 60-year-old woman was fatally injured in a fire at her home last week. Tracy Baran of 16 Nelson Circle in East Brunswick was pronounced dead at the scene of the fire, which was reported to authorities at 4:39 a.m. on Feb. 17, according to a statement prepared by Middlesex County Prosecutor…
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Driver charged with DWI, death by auto after friend dies in crash
EDISON – A 22-year-old township man was killed after the car in which he was riding veered off the road and struck a tree. Joel Patrone, 22, of Edison, was pronounced dead at 5:54 a.m. on Feb. 18 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) in New Brunswick, where he was taken following the…
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Son killed, father critically injured during Old Bridge fire
OLD BRIDGE – A 68-year-old man was killed and his 89-year-old father was critically injured in a fire at their home in Old Bridge on Jan. 31. Joseph Berna, 68, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the fire erupted on the first floor of the single-family Judy Court home he shared with his…
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New bail system aims to reduce jail population, economic bias
By VASHTI HARRIS Staff Writer EAST BRUNSWICK — What began with a study that revealed racial and economic bias in the New Jersey bail system has prompted local and state government officials to change state law and create new criminal justice reform legislation. Presiding Judge Alberto Rivas for the Superior Court’s Criminal Division spoke to the…
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Man charged in South Amboy auto fatality
A Matawan man has been charged with causing the death of a bicyclist who died after he was struck by a car that was being driven by the defendant. Francis Smith, 56, of Matawan, was charged on Jan. 22 with aggravated manslaughter, death by auto and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash involving…
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Judge wants arson, murder trial to begin in spring
By KATHY CHANG Staff Writer EDISON — Calling the case “old,” Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Pedro Jimenez, sitting in New Brunswick, called on the state and the attorney for former Edison Police Officer Michael Dotro to get discovery and other issues in order regarding charges relating to attempted murder for allegedly setting fire to…
