The 36-year-old was killed early Sunday morning, authorities said.

Authorities are investigating the shooting. (File photo)
 

NEWARK -- Authorities are investigating the shooting death of a 36-year-old Elizabeth man.

Joshua L. Moore was shot at about 12:10 a.m. Sunday in the area of E. Peddie Street and Frelinghuysen Avenue, acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose announced in a joint release Monday.

Moore was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:32 a.m., authorities said.

No suspect in the shooting has been identified, and no arrests have been made, officials said.

An investigation into the fatal shooting is ongoing.

Sunday's homicide marks the 60th so far in the city this year, prosecutor's office officials confirmed.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

N.J. basketball players are well-represented in the national college recruiting rankings. Here's how they stack up.

Caldwell settled the suit filed by five of its residents.

Caldwell police did not admit any wrongdoing in the settlement. (File photo)
 

CALDWELL -- The borough has agreed to pay residents $30,000 to settle a lawsuit claiming the police department conducted numerous unwarranted "welfare checks" at their home.

In the complaint, Craig DeVito and four other residents of a Gould Place home, argued that the Caldwell police department conducted several visits to the home in 2012 to check on the 3-year-old son of DeVito's daughter, Daryen. The checks were prompted by a Toms River man who requested the police check on his son's welfare, the lawsuit said.

After about five condoned visits, the DeVito family stopped giving permission for police to enter the home, the complaint said. Police conducted two additional checks without the family's permission and without a warrant, the suit alleged.

Caldwell Lt. claims racial discrimination

The $30,000 settlement, which was reached on July 19 and does not admit any wrongdoing, avoids the $375,000 in damages sought by the plaintiffs.

The news was first reported by NJ Civil Settlements, which provides a partial list of settlements paid by New Jersey government agencies and their insurers to those who have sued them.

The plaintiffs were also seeking additional punitive damages for what they claimed were violations of their civil rights that resulted in anxiety, fear, and loss of sleep.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Gilberto Rivera was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Martha Royster on Friday morning for the Oct. 17 incident in Kearny, spokesman Ray Worrall said.

JERSEY CITY -- A 34-year-old Newark man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on weapons and drug charges stemming from a 2014 arrest, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office announced this morning. 

Hudson County Superior Court Judge Martha Royster sentenced Gilberto Rivera Friday morning for the Oct. 17 incident in Kearny, HCPO spokesman Ray Worrall said. 

Following his arrest is 2014, officials said Rivera was found with 125 bags of heroin near Winsor Park in Kearny. Worrall said police then obtained a search warrant and found a revolver inside Rivera's car. 

Rivera has been convicted of carrying a gun three times and has additionally been convicted on drug charges four times, Worrall said. 

The 34-year-old was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the firearm charge along with an eight-year concurrent sentence for possession of heroin with the intent to distribute within 1000 feet of a school.

Rivera must serve at least five years before becoming eligible for parole, Worrall said. 

The 19-year-old also allegedly forced his ex into the car with him, and the two were later located by police.

BLOOMFIELD -- A 19-year-old Newark man was arrested on aggravated assault and other charges after allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend, police announced in a release Monday.

According to police, a 27-year-old man and his girlfriend were driving on Bloomfield Avenue at about 5:25 a.m. Sunday when the woman's ex, Enyer Almonte-Sanchez, allegedly rammed their car with his, disabling the vehicle.

Almonte-Sanchez. (Essex County Corrections)
 

Almonte-Sanchez is accused of then getting out of his car, stabbing the new boyfriend in his "left flank," forcing the girlfriend into his car, and fleeing with her, police said.

Authorities had received several 911 calls reporting a man hitting a woman inside a car driving on the Garden State Parkway before the two were located by state police, officials said. The knife allegedly used in the stabbing was found in the car with them, police said.

The 27-year-old man was transported to University Hospital and treated for his injuries, police said.

Almonte-Sanchez was arrested on aggravated assault and weapons charges and was remanded to the Essex County jail on $500,000 bail, police said.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Reggie Jones, a former Olympic boxer from Newark, made a lot of noise during the 1972 Olympics in Munich. With only two years of experience, the Marine lance corporal earned a spot on the team and lost a controversial fight that many observers thought he won against Valeri Tregubov in the light middleweight division. Jones believes Shakur Stevenson, another talented Newark boxer, has a chance to win a gold medal in this year's Olympics. Watch video

Reggie Jones sat quietly in the living room, his eyes fixed on the laptop live-streaming Olympic boxing from Rio de Janeiro.

He was watching Shakur Stevenson, as the talented 19-year-old Newark fighter carved out an impressive debut victory on Sunday.

"He's comfortable and confident,'' Jones said. "He doesn't seem like he's worried about this guy.''

Stevenson picked his shots, displaying poise in front of a hostile crowd. He dissected his Brazilian opponent much like another talented Newark boxer did when he got the best of a Russian fighter during the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

 MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns  

The difference is that Stevenson won his fight.

Reggie Jones didn't.

He lost a controversial decision 44 years ago that almost caused a riot in the Olympic boxing arena.

"When I sit here and look at somebody else's fight, I say I could have done more,'' Jones said.

But Jones, a then-21-year-old Marine lance corporal, did everything right against Valeri Tregubov in their light-middleweight bout.

He was in shape. He was aggressive. He cut off the ring, demonstrating how he did it before we watched the Stevenson fight at his home in Summit.

On Friday afternoon, we had been in my office. Throwing lefts and rights, Jones was stalking an imaginary Tregubov, smothering him in the corner of the conference room as if he was Smokin' Joe Frazier, the late heavyweight champion.

"Bang, bang,'' Jones said.

Reggie Jones, a former Newark Olympic boxer, (left) lost a controversial decision in 1972 in Munich to Valeri Tregubov of Russia. Many observers thought Jones won the fight. BoxRec.com 

He didn't sit down between rounds then, nor did he now. He was hyped up, ready to go for broke and keep the pressure on. Jones was prancing around the conference table, his fists clenched as if he had on gloves.

He's was working up a sweat in his blue suit. But no need to worry - at 65, Jones remains fit. He runs five miles a day, sometimes twice after he hits the road at 4:30 a.m.

Jones wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, clearing away the perspiration collecting under the Olympic hat that he wore during opening ceremonies in 1972.

He still has the robe - with the letters "U.S.A." embroidered across the back - that he wore in the ring, his tank-top jersey and the number 356 that was attached to it.

Ding-ding.

Jones was swinging again.

" I was banging him like this,'' he said. "I was banging him back and forth.''

Newspaper accounts reported that Jones opened a cut above Tregubov's right eye, an injury that caused the bout to be delayed in the last round so the ring physician could inspect the wound.

After the fight, Jones and Tregubov stood with the referee.

"We waited and we waited and we waited,'' Jones said.

And then the crowd went nuts when the official didn't raise Jones' hand. They began to throw stuff in the ring - a banana, a can, sheets of paper.

"I dropped my head,'' Jones said. "I think a cried for second.''

A Dutch judge, in favor of the 3-2 decision, said he scored the bout even but voted for Tregubov on advantage points of style. 

One newspaper headline later read "Biggest Steal Since the Brink's Job." 

Sixteen judges would receive warnings from the International Amateur Boxing Association that they would be dropped if their erratic officiating continued through the tournament.

Days after the fight, Jones received letters and phone calls, mostly from German fans, expressing utter disgust and sympathy. Some observers said he was robbed, but concerns about the bout would be lost amid the horror of a Palestinian terrorist group taking 11 Israeli Olympic team members hostage and eventually killing them.

Reggie Jones, a former Newark Olympic boxer, (left) lost a controversial decision in 1972 in Munich to Valeri Tregubov of Russia. Many observers thought Jones won the fight. BoxRec.com 

Months later, however, the Olympic Boxing Committee gave Jones a good sportsmanship award for the dignity he showed when he didn't complain about his loss, hugging Tregubov in defeat.

"It wasn't his fault,'' he said.

The damage was done, though. Jones' chance for a medal was gone and the decision overshadowed his incredible rise into international competition.

Unlike Stevenson, who's been fighting since age 5, Jones didn't get into the game until he joined the All Marine-Marine Boxing Team.

Let's think about that for a minute. He graduated from Weequahic High School in 1969 and, three years later, he was in the Olympics.

"I came a long way in such a short time," Jones said.

Jones won the Marine and all-Armed Services championships twice. He was the two-time North Carolina AAU and Golden Gloves champion before snagging a bronze medal at the 1971 Pan-American Games.

Until his rapid success, Jones had only taken a few boxing lessons at the South Ward Boys Club. And before he joined the Marine boxing team, Jones had merely mimicked his idol, Muhammad Ali, in his spare time. While stationed in Guantanamo Bay, he'd dance around the barracks, throwing punches in boxing gloves and boxing shoes he had purchased from the PX store.

After the Olympics, Jones spent eight years as a professional, taking on notable fighters Bobby Czyz and Mustafa Hamsho. His career, with a 16-9-1 record, ended in 1982, but he picked up a new one when he became a caseworker for the Essex County Division of Welfare, followed by 31 years with the state's Division of Youth and Family Services.

About the time he retired in February, Jones said he heard about Stevenson, how he had a great chance of doing well at the Olympics.

If Stevenson wins Tuesday against Erdenebat Tsendbaatar, of Mongolia, he is medal bound, a feat that hasn't happened for other fighters from Newark.

Jones is thrilled that Stevenson has better than a fighter's chance to be on the podium, hearing "The Star-Spangled Banner" being played. Had he been able to meet Stevenson, Jones said he would have told the young man that before he left Newark for training camp.

"I wanted to give him encouragement and tell him a little bit of what I went through," Jones said.

MORE CARTER: Newark principal goes 'old school' to keep kids out of trouble 

It won't be long.

When Stevenson returns, hopefully Jones will get to see the prize that he believes should have been placed around his neck all those years ago.

And maybe he'll be able to raise Stevenson's hand in victory as the referee should have raised his.

Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger.com or nj.com/carter or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL

A witness in the second trial of the man accused of killing two men only testified after being brought to court by police.

NEWARK -- A Newark man has been acquitted in the fatal shooting of two men in a city restaurant, and the wounding of the 81-year-old mother of the restaurant owner in 2012.

A Superior Court jury last week found Mark Melvin, 37, not guilty of two counts of murder in the Sept. 27, 2012 shooting of Fuquan Mosley and Jason Chavis.

The two men were gunned down in L.C.'s Place restaurant on 18th Avenue at about 10:40 a.m. The jury also acquitted Melvin of aggravated assault in the wounding of the mother of the restaurant owner.

This was Melvin's second trial on the murder charges. In the first trial, Melvin was convicted of a weapons possession charge, but a jury was deadlocked on the murder and assault charges, as well as a drug charge.

In the second trial, jurors again failed to reach a verdict on the drug charges. Authorities said 100 small envelopes of heroin were seized from the car in which Melvin was found minutes after the shooting. A gun was also found in the car.

After the first trial in 2014, Superior Court Judge Martin Cronin sentenced Melvin to 20 years in prison on the weapon possession charge, requiring that he serve at least 10 years before being eligible for parole.

Authorities accused Melvin of bursting into the restaurant wearing a mask and a hooded sweatshirt, and then opening fire, killing the two men.

Murder trial witness 'scared' to testify

Melvin's attorney in the second trial, Roy Greenman, had argued that none of the witnesses identified his client as the shooter.

Witnesses gave police a description of the gunman's clothing and the getaway car. Police found a car matching that description stalled on a nearby street, with Melvin in the driver's seat and another man, Jidah Marshall, in the passenger's seat, authorities said.

Melvin ran from the car but was captured a short time later.

Marshall gave conflicting stories to police, at first saying he was with Melvin in the car when he heard the shots in the restaurant, and later saying he saw Melvin leave the car with a gun moments before the shooting.

Police later found the gun in the car. Prosecutors never indicated a motive for a shooting.

Marshall reluctanly testified at the second trial. When he failed to appear at the trial, police arrested him and held him until he completed his testimony. Marshall's lawyer, Joan Robinson, said her client did not want to testify because someone had tried to kill him twice after Melvin's first trial.

Greenman in his summation, said police had rushed to close the case and mistakenly arrested Melvin. When reached on Monday, Greenman said the jury had agreed with his arguments.

Assistant Essex County Prosecutor Portia Downing, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Frantzou Simon, said called it an extremely tragic case and expressed regret for the families of Mosely and Chavis.

"Our greatest disappointment was that we were unable to provide the surviving family members with some measure of justice," Downing said in a statement.

"In broad daylight at a busy restaurant, two people were fatally shot and an 81-year-old woman was shot but survived. Even though the shooter wore a mask we believed we had a strong case against him. The jury disagreed and we respect the jury's verdict," Downing said.

The prosecutors office has not yet decided if it was re-try Melvin on charges of possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and possession within 100 feet of a school.

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Local police and OSHA are investigating this fatal incident.

UPDATE: Cops ID painter who died after fall from Denville water tower

DENVILLE -- A man working with a painting crew on a municipal water tower fell to his death Monday, police said.

The man, identified only as a 37-year-old Newark resident, was sandblasting and painting the tower with a crew in the woods behind Morris Knolls High School when he fell about 40 to 50 feet from the tower, Capt. Paul Nigro said. The tower is located about a half-mile in the woods behind the high school, Nigro said.

The man was taken to Saint Clare's Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The man's identity hasn't yet been released pending notification of his family.

The man was employed by Allied Painting Inc., based out of Cherry Hill, according to Joanna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Allied Painting has been cited by OSHA on multiple occasions for serious safety lapses including fall-related accidents. A call placed to Allied Painting Tuesday morning hasn't yet been returned.

Both the Denville police and OSHA are investigating. 

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A judge said an insurance company may have to cover any jury award in the lawsuit over the 2013 killing in The Mall at Short Hills.

NEWARK -- An insurance carrier for The Mall at Short Hills must cover costs of defending the property against a lawsuit filed over the killing of a man during a carjacking in the mall parking garage, a judge has ruled.

Superior Court Stephanie A. Mitterhoff also ruled that the insurance company may be responsible for any award in the case if a private contractor that provided mall security is found at fault. 

The ruling came in the lawsuit filed by Jamie Friedland, the widow of Dustin Friedland, who was killed in an attempted carjacking in the mall on Dec. 15, 2013.

Friedland was killed after he and his wife were exiting the upscale mall in the Short Hills section of Millburn after an evening of holiday shopping. Police said they were headed back to their parked 2012 silver Range Rover just after the mall closed at 9 p.m. when they were confronted by assailants who demanded the SUV.

Four men - Basim Henry, 33, of South Orange, Hanif Thompson, 29, of Irvington, and Karif Ford, 32, and Kevin Roberts, 35, both of Newark, were arrested and indicted in connection with the killing.

One of the suspects, Thompson, is acting as his own attorney. Pre-trial hearing status conferences for each of the four defendants are scheduled for next month. All four men have pleaded not guilty.

Mitterhoff said Michigan-based Taubman Centers, which owns the mall, is entitled to coverage for defense of the lawsuit from insurance carrier United States Fire Insurance Company.

Taubman previously had a contract with another company, IPC International Corp., which provided security services for the mall. When IPC filed for bankruptcy in 2013, United States Fire purchased IPC's contract for the mall, according to court papers.

Previously a judge ruled that United States Fire was not responsible for negligent actions by the mall. The mall opposed that decision.

Mitterhoff, in her decision, said the mall is entitled to defense coverage.

Also, she said the mall would be indemnified - or entitled to have the insurance carrier cover a liability award - if a jury finds that IPC was in any way responsible for the events that resulted in Friedland's killing.

"If IPC is found to be at least 1% responsible for the incident, the (mall) will be entitled to full indemnification.

However, if a jury finds that IPC was not at all liable for the incident, then the mall would not be indemnified from a jury award.

In a related development, Mitterhoff agreed with a request from Jamie Friedland's lawyer, Bruce Nagel, that three Taubman executives must come to New Jersey to give depositions.

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Heat wave officially ends in Atlantic City, but it's still alive in other sections of the Garden State.

Is the streak of steamy August days going to turn into the longest heat wave of the year?

Well, it's going to be very close in some parts of New Jersey, including Newark and Trenton.

Newark's longest heat wave of 2016 so far has been the one late last month, when the city was hit with eight straight days of temperatures ranging from 92 to 99 degrees from July 21 through July 28. The state's largest city headed into Tuesday morning with a six-day heat wave and forecasters are expecting the streak to extend into its seventh day, with a predicted high temperature of 92 in the afternoon.

However, Newark might fall just short of tying the long July heat wave, with forecasters predicting a high of 89 on Wednesday.

Some N.J. towns set record highs

Trenton currently has a six-day heat wave going, but that will extend to seven days if the city hits its projected high of 93 on Tuesday. That would tie the heat wave it had from July 22 to July 28. It's unlikely Trenton will top that streak, with forecasters calling for a high of 88 on Wednesday.

Down in Atlantic City, the August heat wave officially ended yesterday, when the city's high temperature reached only 83 degrees, according to climate data from the National Weather Service. That gave A.C. a five-day heat wave, from Aug. 10 to Aug. 14 -- the same number of days as its only other heat wave of the summer, which ran from July 14 to July 18.

Storm threat on Tuesday  

For most of New Jersey, forecasters are calling for highs in the low 90s on Tuesday, with high humidity and mostly cloudy skies. There's a 40 to 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, primarily in the late afternoon, when the heat index could climb as high as 100 and 105 for much of the state, the weather service said.

As a result, an excessive heat warning is in effect for Burlington, Cumberland, Gloucester and Mercer counties and a heat advisory is in effect for the rest of the state, except for the far northern and northwestern region.

The risk of severe thunderstorms on Tuesday is higher in northern and central New Jersey than in South Jersey, the weather service said, noting some storms could be accompanied by strong winds and localized flooding.

There is a slight risk of severe storms for much of the region afternoon & eve. The primary hazard is strong winds. pic.twitter.com/v6w508VBq9

-- NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) August 16, 2016

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The 37-year-old Newark man was employed by Allied Painting out of Cherry Hill, authorities said.

DENVILLE -- Police have identified the painter who died after falling from a municipal water tower on Monday.

Adilson Vozniak, 37, of Newark, was sandblasting and painting the tower with a crew in the woods behind Morris Knolls High School when he fell about 40 to 50 feet from the tower, Capt. Paul Nigro said. The tower is located about a half-mile in the woods behind the high school, Nigro said.

He was taken to Saint Clare's Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Vozniak was employed by Allied Painting Inc., based out of Cherry Hill, according to Joanna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Allied Painting has been cited by OSHA on multiple occasions for serious safety lapses including fall-related accidents. A call placed to Allied Painting Tuesday morning hasn't yet been returned.

Both the Denville police and OSHA are investigating. 

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

No charges had been filed as of Tuesday morning in the death of the 31-year-old Newark man

Newark Police and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office are investigating a crash Monday night that killed a 31-year-old man riding a motorcycle in Newark. Steve Strunsky | NJ Advance Media 

NEWARK -- Authorities are investigating a crash in Newark Monday night that killed a motorcycle rider.

Authorities said 31-year-old Dawan T. Arrington of Newark was riding his motorcycle at 9:46 p.m., when he collided with a white Dodge Neon near the intersection of Bragaw Avenue and Willoughby Street.

Arrington was taken to University Hospital in Newark, where he was pronounced dead at 11:03 p.m., acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a joint statement.

No charges had been filed against the driver of the Neon, but the investigation was ongoing, Murray and Ambrose said.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Stevenson, a 19-year-old Newark native, can do no worse than a bronze medal in Brazil. Watch video

RIO DE JANEIRO -- The recognizable voice was ringing out from the Olympic boxing arena, and Shakur Stevenson heard it loud and clear. "JAB!" the voice yelled. "GO TO THE BODY!" it commanded him, and given the source, the 19-year-old from Newark was going to do as he was told.

When Floyd Mayweather talks, boxers tend to listen.    

"Of course I did!" Stevenson said with -- as always -- that wide grin. "He's been in the same situation before and he mastered boxing. He's one of the greatest. Of course I've got to listen when I hear Floyd talking."

Stevenson had just defeated Mongolian opponent Tsendbaatar Erdenebat by unanimous decision in the quarterfinals of the bantamweight division. The victory guarantees that he will leave Brazil with nothing short of a bronze medal, an accomplishment that you'd think would be the highlight of his day.

It was not. It was not even close. Because after the fight ended, Stevenson climbed into the arena seating area and embraced one of the boxing legends he watched growing up. He stood next to Mayweather as the undefeated champion told a small group of reporters just how highly he thinks of him.

"I see the next Floyd Mayweather," the 1996 Olympic bronze medalist said. "If anyone can break my records, this young kid right here can do it. I truly believe that."

13 cool things about Shakur Stevenson

Stevenson beamed. He and his grandfather Wali Moses, the man responsible for training this talented kid into an Olympic medalist, posed for photos with the legend, and -- given that Mayweather is a top promoter in the sport now -- might have talked a little business, too. 

Mayweather, a notorious late sleeper, said he woke up early and came out to the boxing venue just to see Stevenson fight. He saw the Newark boxer use a smart, technical approach to win a bout during which he was hardly punched.

He saw the best shot to end Team USA's 12-year gold-medal drought in men's boxing, and he saw him at his best.  

Stevenson will fight again at 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, and the opponent is a surprise: Russian boxer Vladimir Nikitin took out Irish favorite Michael Conlan in a brawl that ended with a controversial decision. Stevenson, for one, thought Conlan had won, and the man he embraced later knows a little something about the perils of leaving a fight in the hands of Olympic judges.

"I felt Floyd got robbed for the bronze medal," Stevenson said, referring to a 1996 loss in the Olympic semifinals when Mayweather was at the same stage that Stevenson is now.

He was the talented American at the beginning of a brilliant career back then, but he lost a 10-9 decision to Bulgarian veteran Serafim Todorov and left with a bronze medal. Given all he has accomplished in the sport, that Olympic gold might be the one thing missing on his resume.

Stevenson has no intention of leaving with the same regrets. He gave himself a C-minus for his first victory over Brazilian veteran Robenilson de Jesus, and this time, he offered himself a more generous B-minus. 

Mayweather? He had a much better grade.

"A true professional," Mayweather said when asked about Stevenson. "The first time I've ever seen him box I saw him at the Mayweather Boxing Club, and we thought he was a pro because he was boxing another up and coming fighter and he was looking unbelievable.

"It's crazy that our youngest sister is from New Brunswick, and people don't know that I used to live in New Jersey. A lot of my family is from Jersey. As far as his performance, A-plus!"

Why Stevenson is USA Boxing's best hope 

Stevenson had no idea that Mayweather would attend the fight until moments before he walked into the arena. As soon as they opened the curtain after he was introduced, Mayweather was calling out to him. 

"Let's GO, Stevenson! Let's GO!"

It was hard not to wonder: Would the 19-year-old try to do too much to impress the legend? Would his presence get him off his game? It took only a few minutes to know that the effect was just the opposite. 

"I never get nervous for him," his coach Kay Koroma said. "I knew it was a boost, that he was going to go out there and show Floyd what he can do."

Now he can do something that Mayweather himself did not: If he beats Nikitin, he'll fight a final time on Saturday for the gold medal. Everything in his life, from those early days with his grandfather in Newark through his rise in the amateur ranks, is building toward this moment.

That a boxing legend would be there to share it with him? It only made a great day even better.

Steve Politi may be reached at spoliti@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevePoliti. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Harrison Police believe 31-year-old Keith Jean managed to escape, after he swam across the Passaic River to the Newark side and entered a storm water discharge pipe on Aug. 3

A sewer tunnel beneath the streets of NewarkNewark Police Department 

NEWARK -- Nearly two weeks since he fled into the Newark sewer system after swimming across the Passaic River, a fugitive has yet to be found, and police say he may have made his way out and slipped away undetected.

The fugitive, Keith Jean, 31, of Roselle, was a passenger in a car pulled over by Harrison Police at about 1 p.m., on Aug. 3, in the area of a parking near the river under the Route 280 overpass where several vehicle break-ins had occurred recently.

The driver was arrested on outstanding warrants, but police said Jean ran to the nearby riverbank and jumped in, then swam toward the opposite bank. Doyle said there were also warrants for Jean's arrest for offenses out of Union and Essex counties, though he did not specify the offenses.

Officials say the sewer system is a warren of dark, often cramped spaces, with deadly gases hanging in the air, harmful bacteria and chemicals lining the surfaces, and a steady flow of human waste that fluctuates depending on the occasion and time of day.

Newark Police immediately staked out nearby manholes and, assisted by sewerage commission workers, used a robot and cameras to search the system for Jean, without success. And 24 hours after the desperate flight, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said he feared Jean would not survive the noxious underground ordeal.

On Tuesday, Ambrose said cadaver dogs had also been brought in to sniff out Jean's remains, and likewise found nothing.  

But nearly two weeks later, police and sewerage commission officials said there still had been no trace of Jean or his body. Likewise, no one close to him has come forward to inquire about him.

Doyle said this was not the first time a suspect had tried to flee Harrison police by jumping into the river, or even by entering a sewer, though it may turn out to be one of the few successful attempts.

Doyle recalled one incident several years ago, when a fleeing suspect who had jumped into the river entered a sewer pipe on the Harrison side. But he was soon apprehended, Doyle said, after he tried to surface through a manhole on Harrison Avenue, where a car nearly ran him over as he shoved aside the heavy metal cover.

"The guy came close to losing his life," Doyle said.

Meanwhile, Doyle said, the search for Jean was continuing as it would for any fugitive.

This diagram illustrates linked sections of the Newark sewer system, where a man fleeing police disappeared on Wednesday, Aug. 3.PVSC

Greg Tramontozzi, the executive director of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, or PVSC, which treats sewage from Newark and 47 other north Jersey communities, said even if Jean did succumb to the potentially deadly conditions inside the system, his body would not necessarily disrupt the system, whose pipes and chambers handle an average of 220 million gallons of sewage a day.

Even so, Tramontozzi said Tuesday that there had been no sign of Jean or his body in the 13 days since he entered the system, suggesting the fugitive may made his way out somehow, whether through a manhole or even the same way he went in.

"We've had no sign of him," Tramontozzi said. Speaking strictly from a life-and-death perspective, he added, "With any luck, he just got out."

Cadaver dog used to check manholes covers and sewer grates with negative results,

Fire Division utilized their robot and additionally used camera sticks which are lowered into the manholes  to view the tunnels

Passaic Valley also search the tunnel with a larger robot specially designed for use in sewer

A grim reality of sewage treatment is that the remains of human fetuses are occasionally found, Tramontozzi said. But if Jean's lifeless body does turn up, Tramontozzi added, it would be a first.

"To my knowledge," he said, "we've never seen a cadaver in our system."

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The mayors have issued a joint statement calling on federal officials to implement tighter restrictions on the payday loan industry.

JERSEY CITY -- Mayor Steve Fulop and ally Newark Mayor Ras Baraka are lending their voices to the chorus of Democrats nationwide who are calling for stricter regulations on the payday loan industry.

The two mayors have asked the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to "rein in abusive, high-cost payday loans," saying residents of New Jersey's two most populous cities are directly affected by the "potentially damaging" short-term loans.

"Loopholes within the CFPB's rules and regulations not only hurt our residents who seek out these types of loans, but influence our economy as a whole when such loans take on unfair practice," Fulop wrote in an Aug. 9 letter to CFPB Director Richard Corday.

The CFPB is set to finalize a proposal it unveiled in June that would require payday lenders in many cases to verify borrowers' income and confirm they can afford to repay the money they borrow. Customers would also be restricted from rolling over loans into newer, pricier ones.

They payday loan industry has been vilified by Democrats for charging customers exorbitant interest rates on the short-term loans. Two of the U.S. Senate's most liberal members, Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, and Sherrod Brown, of Ohio, said last month that the CFPB's plan does not go far enough.

In a statement issued today by Fulop's office, Baraka called payday loans "predatory instruments.

"In order for us to move forward, we must enforce legislation that will ensure financial permanency for citizens and families across New Jersey and facilitate greater entree to the institutions and apparatuses that will reinforce their economic futures," he said.

In New Jersey, interest on short-term loans is capped. In his letter, Fulop said CFPB regulations should "not undermine" the state's laws.

Comments on the CFPB's proposed new rule are due Oct. 7.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.

 

Neal Hornug is also suspected of robbing the same bank in June.

NORTH BERGEN -- Authorities say a suspected serial bank robber was caught red-handed Tuesday due partly to some astute cops who quickly recognized the robber's pattern from his alleged prior heists. 

Neal Hornug (North Bergen police) 

Shortly before 3 p.m. an employee of Popular Community Bank called police and reported a robbery, providing a description of the man and his direction of flight, information that was relayed to patrolling officers.

Two of those officers, detectives Robert Maldonaldo and Hector Botello, were in the area working a hunch that a bank would be robbed, based on a pattern of robberies that had emerged since April, the department said in a statement.

Cops arrest man suspected in 6 robberies 

Shortly after the Popular robbery, the detectives spotted 51-year-old Neal Hornug of Belleville. Hornug was a suspect in the robbery of a TD Bank at 79th Street and Kennedy Boulevard in April as well as another robbery at the same Popular bank, in June. The detectives recognized Hornug from surveillance video and his car, a Ford Taurus wagon he allegedly used in other robberies.

Hornug led the detectives on a brief chase to Broad Avenue in Fairview, where he was arrested after surrendering. No one was injured in the pursuit, the department said.

The money from the Popular robbery was on the front passenger seat of Hornug's car, police said. Hornug, who has 12 prior convictions and had been released from his most recent jail term one week before the April robbery, was being processed Tuesday. North Bergen police and the FBI are also investigating to determine whether he will be charged in the earlier robberies.  

Anyone with information on any of the robberies is being asked to call the detective bureau at 201-392-2092.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

A document obtained by NJ Advance Media reveals specifics about an FBI search of the Orange public library.

ORANGE -- The dozens of documents, computers, hard drives, and other materials FBI investigators seized from the Orange Public Library last month were tied to an investigation into theft, fraud, extortion, and the misuse of government funds, according to a search and seizure warrant obtained by NJ Advance Media.

The warrant, which was executed by federal agents on July 21, requested evidence related to an investigation into a litany of potential violations, including theft of federal government funds, accepting corrupt payments from an agency that receives federal funds, wire fraud, extortion, and money laundering.

The FBI's warrant included demands for documents related to the library's HVAC system, its Saturday literacy program, janitorial and maintenance services, and all of its financial dealings, including bank statements, cancelled checks, and receipts.

The seizure also included a long list of records and documents related to five area corporations, seven individuals, and three programs and systems connected to the library. The financial records requested date back to Dec. 1, 2013.

Feds raid Orange library

Those mentioned in the subpoena include Willis Edwards III, a former Assemblyman who served in a few positions in the city for several years until stepping down in 2015. Willis's company, Strategic Ace Solutions, LLC, was also pinpointed in the document.

When reached by phone Tuesday, Edwards said he was only named in the document because he served as business administrator of the city at the time in question.

"This is not the first time that a city has received a subpoena to turn over documents," he said.

Edwards said in his capacity as business administrator -- a role he left in 2015 after a court order ruled on his controversial appointment -- he did not oversee the library, but that the administrator is "named automatically" when cities are subpoenaed.

Edwards, who represented the state's 34th Assembly District from 2001 through 2003, said that after leaving his post in Orange, he did receive about $25,000 from the library, which hired his firm to do some consulting work. But, he insisted that the work he did consisted of "nothing improper on my part."

Others mentioned in the search warrant could not be reached for comment. They include Tyshammie Cooper, who has served as Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren's chief of staff, and is a councilwoman in neighboring East Orange. A spokeswoman for the city of East Orange declined to comment on Cooper's mention in the warrant.

Though Orange officials said earlier this month that an FBI raid was not conducted at city hall, additional documents suggest the probe is not limited to the library.

An August 9 subpoena from the U.S. Attorney's Office obtained by NJ Advance Media shows that office requested documents related to the city's recent purchase of the YWCA at 395 Main St., and to the maintenance of the building, and its conversion to a recreation center.

It also requests documents related to the city's water utility and water services, its senior health and wellness programs, and correspondences with a handful of individuals and businesses, including several mentioned in the library subpoena.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office declined to confirm the investigation or comment on the subpoenas.

Aside from confirming that they were cooperating with the federal investigation, Orange officials have been mum on the subpoenas, and what may have led the FBI to question library spending or the attorney's office to look into other city entities.

"We have to wait and see what further action (the FBI) will be taking," said Councilman Kerry Coley, noting that the city council is not involved in the investigation.

When asked whether or not the council, which appropriates the library's annual budget, suspected a misuse of funds or is planning its own investigation of library spending, Kerry said, "we really haven't had that conversation yet."

Since 2013, the city and library have been the recipients of several high-profile government grants, including a $1.5 million federal Hurricane Sandy recovery grant.

In 2013, the library was shuttered after OSHA discovered "extensive" structural issues and safety hazards in the building - the second time it was closed for repairs since 2010. When it reopened in 2014, Warren credited a matching $750,000 state grant with helping renovate it. 

In a debate earlier this year, Warren confirmed a $2.5 million state grant allowed for the purchase and renovation of the Y. A spokesman for Gov. Chris Christie's office declined to comment on past grants and the present investigation.

According to city budget documents, the library's overall annual budget is slightly over $461,000. City officials have declined to comment on whether or not the grants are connected to the corruption investigation.

"The City of Orange township is cooperating with authorities regarding the matter concerning the Orange Public Library.The matter has been referred to legal counsel for full cooperation," city spokesman Keith Royster said in a statement to NJ Advance Media Tuesday.

"The Orange Public Library is open and city government will continue to operate and serve the residents of the City of Orange township."

NJ Advance Media reporters Tom Haydon and Noah Cohen contributed to this report.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A Newark man arrested for the robbery and killing of a service station owner has prior arrests for robbery and drug charges.

NEWARK -- With his hands cuffed behind him, Malcolm Massey was brought into Superior Court Tuesday, the latest in a long history of court appearances dating to the early 1990s for drug and robbery charges.

This time, however, Massey stood in court on a murder charge.

Massey, 49, was arrested in connection with the May 30 robbery and fatal shooting of 47-year-old Devinder Singh Jodha at the Power Gas Station that he owned on West Market Street.

On Tuesday, Massey was silent as he appeared in court in drab green jail-issued shirt and pants, a bright red beard on his chin.

Massey is charged with robbery, murder and felony murder. His attorney, Sterling Kinsale, of the Public Defender's Office, filed not guilty pleas to all the charges on his behalf.

Authorities say Jodha, a resident of the Iselin section of Woodbridge, was at his service station about 4:25 p.m. on May 30 when he was shot during a robbery.

Emergency crews took the business owner to University Hospital in Newark, where he was declared dead less than half an hour later, officials have said.

According to court records, Massey has faced drug, robbery, and weapons charges dating back more than 20 years.

In 1993, he was sentenced to three years in prison on drug and robbery charges.

Four years later, he received a four-year sentence on another robbery charge. He was arrested again on robbery and weapons possession charges in 2005. Details about that case were not immediately available.

Superior Court Judge Ronald D. Wigler left Massey's bail at $1 million Tuesday. Massey is being held in the Essex County jail.

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The officer said he suffered from PTSD after giving CPR to a 9-year-old girl who died

A former Montclair police officer who lost his job after lying about how much marijuana he found at a crime scene has been denied in his bid to receive an accidental disability pension.

A former Montclair police officer who tried retire days before being convicted of lying about drugs found at a crime scene won't get an accidental disability pension.Star-Ledger file photo 

Michael Whittle tried to retire in 2012, saying he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of administering CPR in February 2009 to a 9-year-old-girl who died.

In May, the Police and Firemen's Retirement System upheld an administrative law judge's April ruling that Whittle should was not eligible to receive a pension.

The news was first reported by government watchdog and open public records advocate John Paff on NJRandomGovt.blogspot.com. 

Whittle waited until Feb. 23, 2012 to apply for the disability benefits, five days before he was convicted of tampering with evidence and obstruction. The filing was more than a month before he first saw a doctor about PTSD.

The conviction stemmed from a November 2009 incident in which the officer reported he found two bags of pot at a crime scene. An investigation revealed there were 10.

Judge Evelyn J. Marose found one of the doctors who diagnosed Whittle with PTSD was not credible, noting the former officer saw the physician only once and was never treated. The opinions of two other doctors were also not reliable, the judge said. 

Whittle worked for seven years as a Montclair cop following two years as a dispatcher in North Caldwell.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Police say up to 3 suspects robbed, assaulted and carjacked 5 victims in a two-hour period on Sunday afternoon

Newark Police say this man was among suspects in a violent crime spree on Sunday, Aug. 14.Newark Police Department 

NEWARK -- Police are asking for the public's help in identifying suspects in a violent crime spree on Sunday afternoon, involving robberies, a carjacking and assault.

The first incident occurred at about 3 p.m., when as many as three people got out of a silver 4-door Volkswagen on the 400 block of Mount Pleasant Avenue, where they robbed a man and woman of cash.

Less than an hour later, police said the same group robbed a man sitting in his white Nissan Murano SUV on the 200 block of Bloomfield Avenue.

In that incident, police said the group took cash and personal items from the man, as well as the SUV, before fleeing in both vehicles.

Then, at about 4:45 p.m., police said two women reported that occupants of the  Volkswagen punched them and took cash and personal items near the intersection of New York Avenue and Jefferson Street.

Police released a pair of stills they say shows one of the suspects,  dof  etectives have acquired the below photos of one of the suspects, a man with short, dark hair, dressed in green or grey cargo shorts and a red, white and blue T-shirt.

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose asked that anyone with information about the suspects contact the Department's 24-hour Crime Stoppers' tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867). Police say all tips are kept confidential and could carry a reward. 

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.