The ACLU has ignited the debate after criticizing the Newark police for making prostitution-related arrests.

Should prostitution be legalized? (File photo) 

NEWARK -- The weekend arrests of four women and nine men on prostitution-related charges has spurred a debate about whether or not paid sex should be illegal in the Garden State.

Continuing a campaign it began this summer, the New Jersey chapter of the ACLU slammed the Newark police for the arrests, arguing that officers should instead be focusing on more violent crimes in the city. ACLU Executive Director Udi Ofer also said that the arrests "harm public safety by stoking fear of police among sex workers, dissuading vulnerable communities from reaching out to police."

But, the city's Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose countered that prostitution is one of the most common complaints the department receives from residents. And, argued that it could not selectively enforce laws.

ACLU to Newark: Stop arresting prostitutes 

"We address all complaints received in my office or by my officers regardless of whether they are minor or serious," he said.

NJ.com readers Monday had strikingly differing opinions on the issue, with some coming out against the ACLU and the idea that sex crimes would be legal, some saying that legalizing prostitution is a good idea, and others arguing that the police are in the right, because regardless of what the law should be, they are enforcing what it is now.

"Prostitution is legal in Nevada, and it should be legal in New Jersey along with marijuana," save1nj said. "Tax both and let's move on to robbery, rape and murder."

But many readers, like Retired Chemist, said the ACLU was way off base.

"What about the people that have to live in the neighborhoods where this is conducted?" Retired Chemist asked. "This is not a victimless crime"

User nexus70 didn't give an opinion on legalization, but criticized the ACLU's assertion that the police department shouldn't enforce current laws.

"They should lobby to change the law if they have a problem with it," nexus70 said. "They should NOT, however, tell a city's police force not to enforce laws."

What do you think? Vote in our poll and share your opinion in the comments section below.

Driver stayed at the scene, according to authorities

NEWARK -- A 23-year-old Irvington woman riding a bicycle was fatally struck by a sport-utility vehicle in Newark, authorities said Tuesday.

Delilah Ortega was hit at South Orange and Springfield avenues around 9 p.m. Monday, according to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose. She was pronounced dead a short time later at University Hospital.

The driver of the Toyota Land Cruiser remained at the scene, officials said in a statement. No charges have been filed.

City police and the prosecutor's office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force are investigating. Additional details were not immediately available.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Gun recovered after duo flees police, according to police.

The Newark Police Department is looking for two men charged with pointing a gun at a police sergeant who tried to pull them over. 

Members of the police division's fugitive unit and Emergency Response Team arrested Alexander Marfisi, 26, of Newark, near 4th and Summer avenues on Tuesday, the Department of Public Safety said in a statement.

The sergeant was near Grafton Avenue and Oraton Street when he heard gunshots and spotted a Honda Civic speeding on Grafton Avenue around 2:15 a.m. Saturday, according to authorities. He tried to pull over the car, but it didn't stop.

2 Newark men sought, charged with pointing gun at cop in chase

A passenger in the Honda pointed a gun at the police sergeant before they fled near Ridge Street and Ballantine Parkway, authorities said. The sergeant didn't fire his weapon during the encounter. Officers later recovered a handgun and the car at Ridge Street and Elwood Avenue, according to police.

Authorities say they are also searching for Adam Aquino, 27, of Newark, in the incident. Both men were charged with aggravated assault against a police officer, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, eluding, conspiracy and discharge of a firearm.

Anyone with information about Aquino was asked to call the Newark police 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867). Police said all tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A look at the stars from each conference in Week 1 of New Jersey football.

Undercover operation came in response to complaints about drug sales in the area, according to authorities.

(File photo) 

A task force of Irvington police and Essex County sheriff's detectives launched an undercover operation near Hawthorne Avenue and Fabyan Place Monday after fielding reports of "open air" drug dealing in the neighborhood, according to Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

With detectives watching, Dquan Thompson, 27 of Irvington, met with 34-year-old Daniel Hawkins of East Orange outside a vacant building on Hawthorne Avenue, authorities said. Hawkins allegedly removed a clear plastic bag from under the floorboard of his car and handed the object to Thompson, who walked down an alley and hid it in a doorway, according to authorities.

1 arrested, 1 wanted for pointing gun at cop, authorities say

A woman, identified as Valarie Burns, 50, of Newark, arrived and exchanged cash with Thompson for items in the bag, the sheriff said in a statement. Task force officers moved in and seized a vial of crack cocaine from Burns.

Detectives also recovered 81 vials of crack cocaine in the bag and another 145 vials of the drug in Hawkins' vehicle, Fontoura added.

Hawkins and Thompson were arrested on several drug charges including selling drugs within 1,000 feet of the school on Bragaw Avenue. The pair was ordered held at the Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $150,000 bail each, according to officials.

Authorities said Burns was issued a summons for drug possession and released in her own recognizance.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A man convicted of three armed robberies received a longer prison sentence than an accomplice who pleaded guilty.

NEWARK -- A 22-year-old man was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Tuesday for three robberies he and an accomplice committed during a 12-hour spree, including a robbery in which a taxi driver was shot and killed.

Alchane Mayes must serve at least 34 years before he is eligible for parole under a sentence that Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin imposed, acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray said.

Mayes received a longer prison term than his accomplice, Jeshon Johnson, now 23, who pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and aggravated manslaughter in exchange for a 28-year sentence.

The manslaughter charge stemmed from the fatal June 7, 2012 shooting of taxicab driver Rochenel Guerrier, 49, an Irvington father of five.

On June 6, 2012, just hours hours before Mayes and Johnson got into Guerrier's taxi, prosecutors say the men robbed two men in two separate crimes.

Last June, a jury convicted Mayes of the three robberies but found him not guilty of murder and felony murder in the shooting of Guerrier, even though Johnson testified at the trial and said Mayes had fired shots at the driver.

Prosecutors alleged that Mayes and Johnson each fired shots at Guerrier, and that the driver, who worked for Family Cab service in Newark, was wounded twice by bullets from two different guns. He died several hours later at University Hospital in Newark.

Mayes' lawyer, Kevin Barry, argued that prosecutors built their case on testimony from Johnson, who lied to get his plea deal.

At the sentencing on Tuesday, prosecutors recommended a 70-year sentence and the defense attorney requested a 10-year term.

"He robbed three different people at gunpoint during a crime spree with his friend and the sentence imposed sends a clear message that such violence will not be tolerated," said Assistant Prosecutor Austin Edwards, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Margarita Rivera.

"While we are disappointed that Mayes was not convicted of the murder - because we believe the evidence was overwhelming - today's result ensures that a violent and dangerous offender will be off the streets of Newark for a very long time," Edwards said.

Mayes must serve 85 percent of his sentence, or 34 years, before he is eligible for parole, Murray said.

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

Police used the victim's description in the arrest

NEWARK -- NJ Transit police arrested a Hillsborough man Friday morning, two days after he allegedly touched a female train passenger inappropriately.

Raghavan E. Narayanan (NJ Transit police)  

Raghavan E. Narayanan, 50, was arrested at Penn Station by police who recognized him from a description provided by the victim. He was charged with criminal sexual contact and released pending a court appearance later this month.

"We are grateful that the New Jersey Transit Police were able to act so quickly in apprehending this person,'' said Interim Executive Director Dennis Martin. "The safety of our customers is paramount to us and we do not take that lightly.''

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

Three passengers, including two children, were thrown from the vehicle early Wednesday in the eastbound crash.

A 5-year-old boy from Newark died in a crash early Wednesday on Interstate 78 East in Lower Saucon Township and open containers of alcohol were found in the car, Pennsylvania State Police said.

Nadine Walton, 54, of Newark, was in the left lane at 12:56 a.m., near the Route 33 interchange in Lower Saucon, when she drove off the left side of the highway, state police said.

The 2011 Nissan Versa then swerved back across the highway, as Walton attempted to correct, and hit a guard rail along the highway's right shoulder, police said.

Passengers Stefany Stephens, 31, of Newark, the boy and a 2-year-old girl were thrown from the car when it struck the guard rail, police said.

The Nissan returned to the road and stopped in the left lane, state police said.

Deadly crash closes Interstate 78 East

A 2014 Kia Forte, driven in the left lane by David B. Getz Jr., 26, of Easton, then hit the car, as did a 1996 Dodge Caravan driven by Michael Gura, 49, of Warren, New Jersey, police said.

The boy was found dead at the scene, while Walton, who had a serious injury, Stephens and the girl were all taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township, police said. Walton was in an intensive care unit at 8:30 a.m., but the hospital did not have a record of Stephens at that hour, according to patient logistics.

The adults in the Nissan were wearing seat belts and the children were in safety seats, state police said.

FROM CHANNEL 6: Photos from above crash scene

Getz and Gura, who were wearing seat belts and do not face traffic citations, suffered minor injuries and were taken to area hospitals, state police said.

Open containers of alcohol were found in the Nissan and "further investigation is required," police said. Traffic citations against Walton are "pending investigation," according to state police.

The highway was shut for hours eastbound as the investigation continued.

Dewey EMS from Hellertown transported the patients, police said.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Cops can't look the other way when a mom calls to complain that prostitutes are having sex on the street, and leaving condoms behind. Watch video

The people of Newark owe a debt to the ACLU for pushing reform of the city's rogue police department by winning federal oversight.

But the ACLU's latest beef is overboard. It objected after police arrested 13 prostitutes and johns, calling it a "poor use of the NPD's limited resources."

In addition, the ACLU argues that enforcing low-priority crimes like this aggravates relations between the police and the people of the city.

That's a legitimate concern. According to a scathing federal review, police in Newark have long used this "broken windows" strategy as license to harass innocent blacks and Latinos.

But the answer is to train police to treat people with respect while fighting crime at any level, and to ensure that officers are overseen by a robust internal affairs unit.

Public safety director Anthony Ambrose spoke to the complaint at a public forum Tuesday night. What should he do, he asked, when a mother calls to complain that her children see adults having sex in cars outside their home as they walk to school?

"I cannot tell my officers, 'Turn your head,'" he said.

Would you buy a house in a neighborhood where street prostitution goes unchecked? Would you invest in a business there? Can anyone imagine a suburban town tolerating it?

The ACLU wants to decriminalize prostitution. Fine. But until the law is changed, police can't be faulted for enforcing it.

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

The football team kneeled for the national anthem on Saturday prior to a game against Highland to draw attention to social issues and economic disparities.

Terrell Barclay is facing 16 charges in the deadly May 6 crash along Willow Park Road.

The driver in a fiery crash that killed three passengers is expected to surrender Wednesday afternoon on vehicular homicide charges in Bethlehem Township.

Terrell Barclay is scheduled to appear at 2 p.m. before District Judge Patricia Broscius for a preliminary arraignment. Police said Barclay suffered severe burns and his body and face are significantly disfigured. He is expected to be driven to court Wednesday by a family member.

Barclay faces three counts of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, three counts DUI, possession of marijuana, driving without a proper license and other motor vehicle and traffic violations.

Barclay, 27, of Orange, New Jersey, is the lone survivor in the 1:22 a.m. May 6 crash that took the lives of three passengers. He allegedly struck three parked cars while speeding on Willow Park Road.

Killed were Amanda Martin, 26, of New Ringgold, Schuylkill County; Ashlee Mosher, 29, of Easton; and Joshua Edwards, 28, of Easton. Police said they didn't know the three were in the car until after the township fire department put out the intense flames sparked by the crash.

Barclay emerged on fire from the rented 2015 Chrysler 200 sedan and was seen by witnesses running across the street. He was later placed into a medically-induced coma at Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar-Crest in Salisbury Township before being moved on July 27 to the Easton Health & Rehabilitation Center, according to Inspector Tony Stevens.

Driver charged in fiery crash that killed 3 set to surrender

Barclay was charged on Sept. 9 and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Police keep tabs on him and continue to check in with Barclay and his family, Stevens said.

Blood testing put Barclay's blood-alcohol content 90 minutes after the crash at 0.19; penalties begin for most drivers at a BAC of 0.08. He allegedly also had THC, the intoxicant in marijuana, in his system.

Barclay was driving while his New Jersey and Pennsylvania licenses were both suspended, police said. A .40-caliber Taurus Millennium handgun found in the road where Barclay left the burning car was stolen from Plainfield Township.

Authorities spent months gathering evidence from the crash scene.

Among the evidence needed was an accident reconstruction and results from drug/toxicology tests.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Livingston High School opened normally Wednesday, but back-to-school night was canceled after three days of online threats.

LIVINGSTON -- The string of social media threats being made against the township's high school are not coming from a student, school officials said. And, though police have said the threats are not credible, they have, so far, caused the high school to have a delayed opening and cancel back-to-school night.

"Law enforcement officers continue to investigate the threats posted on social media aimed at Livingston High School," Superintendent Christina Steffner and high school Principal Mark Stern said in a joint note to parents Tuesday.

"Please know these actions were not made by a current LHS student," they said.

Still, the threats have shaken the school community. Only about 85 percent of students went to school Tuesday, they said. And, continuing threats posted on social media - which have included posts saying a person would "shoot up" the school - prompted officials to cancel back-to-school night.

Cops investigating threats in Livingston

"We believe that under the current circumstances the program will not be as effective as intended and we look forward to the time when we can come together to focus on the classroom instruction as the evening deserves," Steffner and Stern said in the note.

File photo of Livingston High School. 

A spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office confirmed Tuesday that the office is working with the Livingston Police to investigate the threats.

School opened smoothly at its regular time Wednesday, district spokeswoman Marilyn Lehren said. An increased police presence continues at the school, which has been the target of three straight nights of online threats, she said.

School officials have also warned parents and students against spreading rumors about the threats over social media.

"Such behavior is reckless as it drains the attention and focus away from the issue at hand and creates a greater sense of vulnerability," the superintendent and principal said.

"We will continue to monitor the situation with the Livingston Police Department and make the necessary decisions as the situation unfolds," they said.

NJ.com unveils its second installment of the Player of the Year watch list.

The middle school he attended will be officially renamed for second man on the moon.

MONTCLAIR -- Buzz Aldrin is coming home for a big honor.

The Montclair middle school attended by the second man on the moon will officially be renamed for him in a ceremony Friday, where Aldrin will be the main event.

The new "Buzz Aldrin Middle School" is planning its renaming ceremony on the front steps of the Bellevue Avenue school at 9:30 a.m. Friday. It is the culmination of a years-long effort to officially honor the astronaut at his alma mater.

Aldrin has credited the school with sparking his interest in science.

Buzz Aldrin visits childhood home

"That was the turning point where I focused my dedication to education," he has said of the school, which is now a STEM magnet.

"That middle school would be most revered in the retrospect of my youth."

In addition to remarks from Aldrin, the renaming ceremony is also set to include a flag presentation from Annin Flagmakers, the company that created the flag that Aldrin placed on the moon. The famed astronaut will receive a flag that flew over Omaha Beach during World War II, event organizers said.

The free renaming ceremony will be followed Friday night by a "Party on the Moon...Like It's 1969," from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Commonwealth Club in Montclair. Aldrin will make an appearance at the party, which is charging a $50 entrance fee as a fundraiser for STEM programs at the school, organizers said.

Aldrin, who was born in Montclair in 1930, often returns to the Essex County township. Last year, he visited the home he grew up in. This trip is set to include a visit to HackensackUMC Mountainside Hospital, where he was born.

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

The emergency alert systems were either defective, inoperable or never came, according to a complaint.

NEWARK -- Officials cited two Monmouth County men for their alleged "highly aggressive and misleading" tactics to sell emergency medical response systems to senior citizens, authorities announced on Wednesday.  

A complaint filed Aug. 31 in Monmouth County Superior Court by the Attorney General's Office charges that Ezra Rishty, of Oakhurst, and Larry Ansell, of Tinton Falls, pressured elderly customers by selling them emergency alert systems that were either defective, inoperable or never delivered.

The two men sold the alert systems through Life Aid Connect, Inc., Safety Alert USA LLC, also known as Med Aid Alert, and Mobile Alert, Inc., according to the complaint.

The complaint alleges the two men engaged in a "highly aggressive and misleading telemarking campaign" to sell the emergency alert systems, which cost anywhere from $159 to $299.

Among the deceptive marketing and sales practices, the complaint said, the two men sold refurbished systems as "100 percent brand new," charged customer credit cards even after they declined to order the product and reached "hundreds of consumers" who were on the "Do Not Call" list.

"We will not allow New Jersey companies to browbeat or trick customers into buying goods or services that they don't want or don't work as promised," Attorney General Christopher Porrino said in a statement.

The complaint states that the men violated the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, the Advertising Regulations and the Telemarketing Do Not Call Law.

The state is seeking restitution for consumers, civil penalties and the reimbursement of attorneys' fees and costs. They are also seeking to strip Life Aid Connect and Mobile Alert of their status as a legal corporation and cancel the certificate of formation for Safety Alert.

"We will vigorously enforce our consumer protection laws and penalize anyone found engaging in this kind of unscrupulous marketing," said Steve Lee, Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. 

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Anyone with information urged to call tip line

Jamal Babbs (Dept. of Public Safety) 

An arrest warrant was issued for 28-year-old Jamal Babbs, who is charged with aggravated assault, according to the Department of Public Safety.

Police rushed to a report of a stabbing Monday around 8:40 p.m. near Hawthorne Avenue and Leslie Street, authorities said. The victim, a 20-year-old man, was treated for unspecified injuries at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.

Anyone with information was urged to contact the city's 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867). Police said all tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Open bottles of alcohol were found in the car after the driver, for an unknown reason, lost control near Hellertown.

The 5-year-old boy killed in an early morning crash Wednesday on Interstate 78 in Lower Saucon Township was the son of the front-seat passenger, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek said.

Ravon Robinson, of Newark, died of injuries suffered when he was ejected from a 2011 Nissan Versa in a crash about 12:56 a.m. on I-78 East. Lysek pronounced Ravon dead at the scene and ruled the death accidental.

Pennsylvania State Police at Belfast are investigating the crash at mile-marker 70.6, between the Hellertown and Route 33 interchanges, and said open bottles alcohol were found inside the car.

The boy's mother, 31-year-old Stefany Stephens, also of Newark, and a 2-year-old girl from Newark riding in the back seat with Ravon were also ejected and were taken by ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, authorities said.

Newark resident Nadine Walton, 54, is identified as the driver. She suffered serious injuries and was taken to the hospital, as well, according to police.

Charges were pending the ongoing investigation, police said.

MORE: Driver jailed in fiery triple-fatal wreck

Walton was driving east in the left lane when, for an unknown reason, she drove out of the travel lane to the left, police said; trying to correct her trajectory, she swerved back across both lanes and struck a guardrail to the right of the highway.

A 2014 Kia Forte, driven in the left lane by David B. Getz Jr., 26, of Easton, then hit the car, as did a 1996 Dodge Caravan driven by Michael Gura, 49, of Warren, New Jersey, police said. Both of them were injured and taken by ambulance to area hospitals, Trooper Robert Eck said in a news release.

The adults in the Nissan were wearing seat belts and the children were in safety seats, state police said. Getz and Gura were belted, as well, and neither of them faces any citations, police said.

Authorities reopened the eastbound highway at Hellertown about 11:40 a.m.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

The judge set bail at $250,000.

The driver in a fiery crash in May that killed three passengers in Bethlehem Township is jailed on vehicular homicide charges.

Terell Barclay, 27, of Orange, New Jersey, surrendered to authorities on the charges Wednesday afternoon. Using a walker to enter the courtroom and with burn wounds on his face, Barclay appeared before District Judge Patricia Broscius for a preliminary arraignment.

Besides the burns, Barclay wore a glove on his left hand, a neck brace and white gauze bandages covering the top of his head. A woman drove him to court.

When the judge asked Barclay if he had an attorney, he replied, "I was trying to get one, but everything happened so fast."

The judge told Barclay to fill out an application for a public defender. As the judge read off the charges, Barclay replied with answers of "yes," "Yes, ma'am" and "no."

Barclay also is facing two counts of drunken driving, DUI (highest rate of alcohol) possession of marijuana, possession of a firearm, accidents involving death without a proper license and other vehicle and traffic violations.

Broscius set bail at $250,000 and ordered Barclay to Northampton County Prison.

Police say Barclay was the driver at 1:22 a.m. May 6 in a fiery crash that killed three passengers. He allegedly struck three parked cars while speeding  in the 1800 block of Willow Park Road.

Killed were Amanda Martin, 26, of New Ringgold, Schuylkill County, Pa.; Ashlee Mosher, 29, of Easton; and Joshua Edwards, 28, of Easton.

Police said they didn't know the three were in the car until after the township fire department put out the intense flames sparked by the crash. Court records indicate one of the struck vehicles also had burst into flames.

Barclay emerged from the wreckage of the rented sedan on fire and was seen by witnesses running across the street. When officers arrived, Barclay was rolling around on the ground and under the front end of a Chevrolet pickup truck "yelling and screaming," authorities said.

Barclay was "extremely uncooperative" and "combative" as officers tried to help remove his clothes, police said, noting he kept attempting to get up and leave. Officers later found a bag of marijuana in his clothing, according to police.

A Freemansburg police officer reported seeing the sedan speeding toward Willow Park Road and traveling erratically on Freemansburg Avenue. The borough officer activated emergency lights, but didn't catch up with the vehicle until he arrived at the crash scene, court records said.

Barclay was later placed into a medically-induced coma at Lehigh Valley Hospital  in Salisbury Township before being moved on July 27 to the Easton Health & Rehabilitation Center, according to township police Inspector Tony Stevens.

Barclay was charged on Sept. 9 and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

What we know about driver in fiery crash that killed 3

Blood testing put Barclay's blood-alcohol content 90 minutes after the crash at 0.19; penalties begin for most drivers at a BAC of 0.08. He allegedly also had THC, the intoxicant in marijuana, in his system.

Barclay was driving while his New Jersey and Pennsylvania licenses were both suspended, police said. A .40-caliber Taurus Millennium handgun found in the road where Barclay had emerged from the burning car was stolen from Plainfield Township, police said.

A representative from Northampton County Pretrial Services told the judge Barclay has a lengthy history of failing to show up to court, as well as a rap sheet.

Barclay has an open bench warrant out of Lehigh County and violated parole following previous charges of DUI and possession of a controlled substance, records show.

In Essex County, New Jersey, he was charged in 2006 with robbery; in 2007 for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver; in 2008 for burglary; and in 2009 possession of a controlled substance. He also has six warrants for traffic violations.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

36-year-old arrested Sept. 10, according to the prosecutor's office

Manny Marques, 36 (Photo: Essex County jail) 

NEWARK -- A Newark police officer was charged with sexually assaulting a young girl, an Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday.

Manny Marques, 36, of West Caldwell, was arrested Sept. 10 on a charge of first degree aggravated sexual assault of the girl and third degree child endangerment, according to prosecutor's office spokeswoman Katherine Carter. 

Marques was not charged with any offenses related to his work as an officer, Carter added.

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said he suspended Marques, a 14-year veteran of the force, without pay. 

Newark Fraternal Order of Police President James Stewart Jr. said the organization is aware of the allegations against Marques. 

"They are horrible and shocking, and completely out of character for a man I have known for years. His co-workers and family are waiting to hear from him and are hoping there is some sort of explanation besides what has been alleged," Stewart added. 

Marques did not have a defense attorney listed after he was arraigned Tuesday. 

He remained held at the Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $225,000 bail, with no 10 percent option, according to the prosecutor's office.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Man, 60, robbed by three assailants, police say

Police released images of two suspects wanted in the armed robbery (Photo: Dept of Public Safety) 

Officers responded to the robbery around 5:15 p.m. around South 12th Street, near 14th Avenue, according to authorities. Three assailants threatened the victim at gunpoint and demanded his money.

One robber took off on a bicycle and the others fled on foot, police said. Officers soon learned another man reported he was threatened at gunpoint in the same area.

Police said they searched the neighborhood and arrested one suspect, identified as Tareef Atkins, 20, of Newark. He faces charges of robbery, conspiracy and weapons offenses.

Newark police seek man accused in stabbing, robbery

Police released photos of the other two suspects Tuesday. 

Anyone with information about the other assailants was asked to call the Newark 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867). Police said all tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.