President Obama gives hope to Integrity House residents

They were nervous, but President Obama had a calming presence, telling them he was like family.

It helped that they already were at home at Integrity House, a substance abuse rehabilitation center in Newark - a place each believes has saved their lives.

"He said, 'Don't get nervous,' '' says Darryl Rose. " 'Treat me like one of the fellas.' He said, 'I'm family.' ''

Call it a presidential icebreaker, words of assurance before Obama began a conversation Monday afternoon with three Integrity House clients and a staff member. They discussed  prisoner re-entry and criminal justice reforms that could lead to drug treatment instead of incarceration for recovering addicts.

He was for real, Sharon Boatwright says, because he didn't shake her hand. The president hugged her instead. "I didn't want to let go,'' she says.

MORE: Obama in Newark: You are 'accomplishing extraordinary things'

Stephanie Luna could clearly see Obama was sincere when he asked them to share their thoughts on the barriers to re-entry, especially what they found difficult.

It really hit home, though, when Obama asked about their lives, about how they were doing, while praising them for navigating their way through recovering.

"This is a good man who means well,'' Luna says. "You just get the instinct that he's someone who truly cares. We need more people like him."

All three of the residents are in different phases of treatment. The Integrity approach is the type of program that Obama is expected to use when he calls on Congress to pass a bill that reduces mandatory sentencing.

Rose, 56, has been at Integrity House for just a month. He told the president that a longtime heroin addiction had landed him in jail, but then a judge told him he needed to deal with the problem - which brought him to Integrity House. Though he is at the beginning of his rehabilitation effort, Rose says the program has helped him a great deal already.

Luna, 37, who has been drug free for a year, is a classic example of what can happen with sentencing reform.

MORE: Local, Obama initiatives must work together in Newark, Baraka says

She says she was facing a 12-year sentence for trafficking methamphetamine. But in New Jersey, she is one of five people who qualified for a pilot pre-trial program that could lead to probation or dismissal of the charge.

She's in the halfway house phase of the Integrity program, working as a waitress at a pizzeria and remaining in treatment. She also is attempting to get her nursing license reinstated.

"I'm lucky. When I was addicted, I never thought I could get clean. I thought I was doomed,'' Luna says. "This is why I feel the need to get better and stay sober, and do what I have to do.''

Boatwright, 48, is at the end of the program and almost on her own. She's lives in one of Integrity's homes for single women. During the day, she works two jobs - one as a cashier at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, and the other as a packager for a food distribution company in West Caldwell.

She's come a long way from a 30-year cocaine addiction. And four prison terms for selling drugs. She also lost her child, but got her back.

"I never thought I would get to this point in my life, where somebody can love me so I can love myself,'' she says. "An addict like me never thought I would meet the president, (not) from where I came from.''

MORE: Obama takes off after daylong Newark visit

 Robin Shorter, who greeted Obama with Integrity president Robert Budsock, is probably one of their biggest cheerleaders. She's an Integrity employee and knows how hard these three clients have been working on their recovery, because she once wore their shoes.

Shorter, 55, went through the program more than a decade ago, battling back from heroin addiction and eventually earned a master's degree in counseling. Now, she is the director of Integrity's women's outpatient program, as well as its halfway house.

She says Obama's visit signals that there is hope for recovering addicts, that they are not forgotten - an attitude all too often embraced by society.

This visit was big for Integrity and the people it helps. Even though the president saluted the program's work, the residents and staff, in turn, thanked the president - as well as Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Sen. Cory Booker, also in attendance - for caring about them enough to have programs that give addicts a second chance.

"We've been to hell and we were fortunate enough to get away,'' Shorter says. "We are all survivors of a near-fatal catastrophe. That's the disease of addiction and it almost killed us."

But it didn't. And that's what they got to tell the president of the United States.

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

Forenza warned his 20 students the path they are taking is fraught with conflict. He cited a national survey that found three-quarters of front-line social work professionals had reported property damage, verbal threats, or actual violence during the careers. Turnover is high, he added.

TRENTON -- Most parents fear the knock on the door from a child welfare caseworker.

But in the wake of two parents attacking state caseworkers in the last year and a recent string of death threats, Montclair State University Assistant Professor Brad Forenza wove these events into his lecture on parental rights last week. He asked his Public Child Welfare students -- many of whom will go on to work for the state Department of Children and Families -- how they should manage these fragile and often volatile relationships. 

Forenza warned his 20 students the path they are taking is fraught with conflict. He cited a national survey that found three-quarters of front-line social work professionals had reported property damage, verbal threats, or actual violence during the careers. Turnover is high, he added.

RELATED: Assaulted N.J. child welfare worker not surprised by new attacks

"Careers in public child welfare are assumed more vulnerable to workplace violence than others helping professions," Forenza said. "To what extent do you think there is an inherently conflictual relationship between parents and caseworkers?"

Mildred Kroung, 21, said she thought there was room for cooperation.

"Some parents actually want the assistance from the government, some are like, get away from me -- you are invading my privacy. Not every parent feels the government is bad," Kroung said.

"In what scenarios might parents want the help?" Forenza asked.

"Maybe a mother as a single parent who didn't have a job. Help her find a way to get her GED.," Kroung said.

Kashea Beadle, 21, said she didn't see a way around the inherent conflict at the heart of the caseworker-parent relationship. "The relationship starts between caseworker and parents because there is an idea the parents aren't doing well or not well enough."

Allyson Keegan, an intern at the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center, said she sees similarities in the duties and risks between a caseworker's and police officer's job. "You're going into someone's home, removing their child if there is abuse going on, the parents are beside themselves," she said.

"It's important to have empathy. This is difficult for them to go through, as well. This is your job and at the same time, if someone were to come to your home and remove your child, it's something you have to understand," Keegan said.

The class discussed how substance abuse, mental illness and poverty are the most common characteristics of families that come to the attention of a child welfare agency, although Forenza stressed poverty alone is never a reason for an investigation. One student, a state intern who declined to be identified, agreed, saying she has seen caseworkers provide household items like furniture to help impoverished families.

State law gives the Division of Child Protection and Permanency the authority to remove a child from the home without a court order if the agency attests that the child is in "imminent risk of harm." A court hearing must be held within two days

in order for a judge to decide whether to uphold the removal. Similar laws are found in other states.

But in national, precedent-setting cases, the courts have ruled against child welfare agencies for abusing their authority and violating parents' constitutional rights. One 1999 case in California that Forenza outlined ruled a caseworker and a police officer were wrong to demand entry without a warrant into a family's home based on two tips that children were crying for help.

"The government's interest in the welfare of children embraces not only protecting children from physical abuse but also protecting children's interests in the privacy and dignity of their homes and in the lawfully exercised authority of their parents," according to the ruling.

If the state removes a child from a home, Kroung, a senior at Montclair's McCormick Center for Child Advocacy and Policy, said she believes "if the parents want child back they will work with whoever to get the child back."

But recent although rare events in New Jersey and across the country show what is possible when unstable or violent parents clash with child welfare workers.

The class discussed the attack on caseworker Leah Coleman 11 months ago by a parent who had lost rights to her child and entered the Camden local office. They also talked about a father who in July assaulted two caseworkers in Salem County who had removed a child from his home.

Forenza noted that child welfare officials quickly assembled a mandatory public safety training course following the attack in July, to teach workers how to be aware of their surroundings and de-escalate tense situations.

He also showed a video clip of a Vermont news report about a mother who after losing custody of her 9-year-old daughter shot and killed the caseworker with a high-caliber hunting rifle.

One student who has interned in the field and declined to be identified admitted she has felt "terrified" by the lack of security. "I can just walk right in and go sit down wherever I please. They assume I am supposed to be there. But we should be checked."

Another intern said the office doors are always locked where she is.

Keegan said the two-hour safety training she received at the correctional center about de-escalating volatile situations was useful, but not enough. "Some jobs have week-long trainings before they have you on the job. We are getting the bare minimum."

The topic veered into the current public policy debate about whether police officers ought to be stationed at local child welfare offices, a practice that was discontinued just days before Coleman was attacked. Armed security guards have since been hired and state Human Services police officers may be requested to go out on a call. But a bill is pending in the legislature to make the police presence mandatory at all child welfare offices.

"Economically can we afford that?" Kroung said.

Another student asked whether having police around would intimidate parents and interfere with a caseworker's interactions with a family.

Beadle said safety should matter more. "You can get all the training in the world, but having someone there whose job is protection is a good investment."

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

With questions posed about an exit ramp project on I-280 and widening a bridge on the highway, are there plans to widen it's narrowest section? Ask @CommutingLarry.

Are there plans to widen a section of I-280 in Newark, which currently is a two-lane bottleneck? Let's see if there are any highway blueprints in the Ask @CommutingLarry mailbag 

Recent questions about the $90 million Route 21 exit project on I-280 and whether it is possible to widen the Stickel Drawbridge brought a natural question about another I-280 bottleneck.

GOT QUESTIONS?

Ticked off about mass transit? Wondering about road construction? E-mail your questions to NJ.com's transportation expert Larry Higgs. He'll answer your questions on Tuesdays and Thursdays on NJ.com. You can also Tweet @CommutingLarry.

That bottleneck is a two lane section of I-280 between the bridge and 7th Street. 

Eastbound drivers know it as the place where traffic staying on I-280 bears right and the five lane highway squeezes down to two lanes, while the other three go to an exit for First Street.

Q: Are there plans to widen the two-lane section of I-280 through Newark between the Stickel Bridge and 7th Street in Newark? - NJ.com user joearch

A: Sorry joearch, the answer from the DOT is no.

"There are no plans at this time to widen the section of I-280 in Newark," said Kevin Israel, a DOT spokesman.

One of the reasons is the highways geometric constraints. The two-lane road and shoulders are wedged next to NJ Transit's Morris & Essex rail line on the eastbound side and Spring Street on the west. 

RELATED: What caused gas prices to rise? Blame the feds

DOT officials gave a similar answer to a question about why the Stickel drawbridge over the Passaic River can't be widened. There isn't enough room between the bridge towers for more lanes.

Whether the topic is about more Route 24 lanes or cleaning up after dirty birds at a train station, ask and we'll see if we can get an answer. 

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The incident is under investigation, county officials said.

The incident is under investigation, county officials said. (File photo)
 

NEWARK -- County authorities are investigating a Monday night incident during which police officers shot at a man who had pointed a gun at them, Essex County Acting Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray said Tuesday.

According to chief of investigators for the  prosecutor's office Anthony Ambrose, undercover officers were conducting an investigation at 4th Avenue and North 11th Street when a man pointed his gun at them.

Three officers -- one Newark sergeant, one Newark detective, and one sheriff's officer -- fired at the man, not hitting him, Ambrose said. Nine total shots were fired, Ambrose said.

The man, Victorio Williams, 27, of Rahway, was arrested on aggravated assault, weapons, and resisting arrest charges, authorities said.

A second man, Hassan Rich, 34, of Carteret, who was also armed with a gun, allegedly ran into home yards in Newark, and was found later hiding under a porch, Ambrose said. Newark SWAT officers negotiated with Rich to leave the hiding spot, he said.

Rich was arrested on weapons and drug offenses, and both guns were recovered, authorities said.

The names of the officers involved were not immediately released. The prosecutor's office professional standards critical incident response team is investigating the incident, Murray said.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

A state appeals court on Oct. 23 upheld the $455,000 jury award given to Kenneth Duym last year in his lawsuit against Millburn

A state appellate panel has upheld a $455,000 jury verdict awarded to a former Millburn police sergeant in a case where he accused township officials of retaliating against him for reporting a superior officer failed a firearms test.File photo 

MILLBURN -- Millburn officials have lost an appeal of a $455,000 verdict awarded to a former township police sergeant over claims they retaliated against him for reporting a superior officer failed a firearms test.

A state appellate panel on Oct. 23 upheld the jury award given to Kenneth Duym last year in his lawsuit against Millburn. The appellate judges rejected the township's argument that Duym failed to show he was retaliated against for his whistleblower activity.

Duym has claimed the retaliation occurred in response to him reporting in 2010 that former Millburn Police Chief Gregory Weber - who was a captain at the time - had failed to meet the minimum requirements to requalify with his duty weapon.

Duym's lawsuit alleged those acts of retaliation involved subjecting him to a criminal investigation, withholding his promotion, and removing him as firearms range master. Duym retired from the police force in 2013, records show.

After a three-day trial in May 2014, the jury awarded Duym $63,000 in economic damages and $392,000 in non-economic damages, according to the appellate decision. The trial judge dismissed Duym's claim for punitive damages, and the appellate panel affirmed that decision.

In the township's appeal, municipal officials claimed Duym failed to show "his whistleblower activity contributed to the adverse employment actions of which he complains," the decision states.

But the appeals court dismissed that argument, saying in its decision that "the record is replete with direct and circumstantial evidence that Weber was aware of plaintiff's whistleblowing activity, and consequently acted on it."

Weber retired from the township police department in May, records show.

Eric Harrison, the attorney who represented Millburn in the case, said the municipality will be asking the New Jersey Supreme Court to hear its appeal.

"We believe the Appellate Division was incorrect in its analysis and we will be petitioning the Supreme Court to review the case," Harrison said in an email.

In addition to the $455,000 jury award, the township also has been ordered to pay $107,000 to cover Duym's legal fees as a result of the verdict, according to his attorney, Patrick Toscano Jr.

Toscano also said he was seeking more than $100,000 from the municipality in attorneys' fees for Duym being successful in the appeal.

"The appellate division was spot on in affirming this verdict/jury finding, as the actions of the defendants in this case, as reflected by the trial testimony, were particularly egregious, retaliatory, intentional and spiteful," Toscano said in an email.

In an unrelated case, Millburn Police Sgt. Robert Ronceray in May won a $145,000 jury verdict in his lawsuit against the township for allegedly retaliating against him by not promoting him to the rank of lieutenant.

MORE: Millburn ordered to pay $455K to former cop in whistleblower lawsuit

The series of events leading to Duym's lawsuit began on Oct. 21, 2010, when Duym, as the firearms range master, oversaw Weber's requalification test, according to the appellate decision. Weber failed the test, because he was unable to shoot from a kneeling position, the decision states.

Following the orders of then-Millburn Police Chief David Barber, Duym offered Weber an opportunity to take the test again, but "Weber declined the offer, explaining that he was incapable of kneeling," the decision states.

Duym then informed Weber that he had failed the requalification test, the decision states.

About a month later, Weber filed an internal affairs complaint against Duym, "accusing him of harassment and of altering official police firearms qualification forms with respect to Weber's failure to qualify on October 21, 2010," the decision states.

The matter was referred to the Professional Standards Bureau of the Essex
County Prosecutor's Office, meaning Duym was the subject of a criminal investigation, the decision states.

Duym filed a tort claim notice in February 2011 for a possible lawsuit involving on Weber's false accusation of criminal misconduct, the decision states. Weber ultimately said he did not want to pursue the investigation, and the probe was terminated in August 2011, the decision states.

But soon after Weber was promoted to police chief later in 2011, he removed Duym from his position as firearms range master, the decision states. Weber never consulted Duym or offer an explanation for his removal, the decision states.

The appellate judges noted how Weber admitted during his trial testimony that he removed Duym from the position, in part because Duym had filed the tort claim notice.

In his lawsuit, Duym also claimed Township Business Administrator Timothy Gordon retaliated against him by not promoting him to the rank of lieutenant.

But in dismissing one component of Duym's punitive damages claim, the appeals court said the trial judge "correctly found no basis in the evidence to conclude that Gordon engaged in intentionally wrongful conduct in not promoting plaintiff."

"Generally, plaintiff's contentions that Gordon's actions resulted from his whistleblowing activity involving Weber are fraught with speculation, self-serving assertions, or unsubstantiated conjecture," the decision states.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The California-based Learning Counsel included the city's school district on its annual "Top 10" list of those who had made the largest strides in incorporating digital curricilum

NEWARK - A national education research institute has named the city's public school district among a list of leaders for its progress bringing digital curriculum into classrooms.

The Learning Counsel included the state-controlled district on a list of 10 who had made the greatest strides toward implementing more technology into both teaching and learning. The organization, which serves as an intermediary between districts and tech companies, revealed the list at its annual Gathering and National Awards Event in Albuquerque, N.M.

In a statement, Superintendent of Schools Christopher Cerf congratulated those officials involved with pushing the district's use of technology forward.

"Over the past four years, the district has made extensive investments in education technology and professional development to provide our children with an excellent education," he said. "These positive institutional changes are giving our young people the tools they need to be college and career ready."

According to district officials, it has added 3,700 wireless access points in Newark school since May 2011, upgraded its internet network using fiber optic circuits, and recently purchased more than 11,000 Google Chromebook laptops for use by students.

Last month, it began a new partnership with Google through its recently launched program Expeditions Pioneer program, which brought its new Expeditions app to a handful of city schools.

Dr. David Kafitz, the Learning Counsel's Vice President of School Relationships and Consulting, said he hoped other districts around the country might follow Newark's lead.

"Newark Public Schools has been a leader in integrating technology into its curriculum in a way that will transform the way we teach our young people.  We look forward to seeing how their work will inspire other districts to use digital curriculum and technology to their advantage."

Other districts honored by the Learning Counsel included Township High School District 214 in Illinois, Union County Public Schools in North Carolina, St. Vrain Valley Schools in Colorado and Pinellas County Schools in Florida.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Authorities on Monday arrested a 20-year-old Newark man on illegal weapons charges.

The man was found carrying an illegal firearm, authorities said. (file photo)

NEWARK -- Authorities on Monday arrested a 20-year-old Newark man on illegal weapons charges, announced Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

Stephan Banks was taken into custody after officers observed him stuff what was later found to be an illegal 9-millimeter handgun into his waistband, Fontoura said.

Authorities also arrested a 16-year-old Newark teen who investigators found in possession of a small amount of marijuana, Fontoura said.

The teen suspect, whose name was not disclosed due to his juvenile status, was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of alcohol while under age. He was released into the custody of a parent, Fontoura said. The charges against him will be heard in Family Court at a later date, Fontoura said.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Riley Walker, 46, formerly of Edison, is serving a 20-year prison sentence in connection with the 2001 incident

Riley WalkerNew Jersey Department of Corrections 

NEWARK -- A man serving a 20-year prison sentence has lost an appeal of his attempted murder conviction for repeatedly hitting his ex-girlfriend with a car and severing one of her legs in 2001.

Riley Walker, 46, formerly of Edison, has claimed he received ineffective legal assistance, because his attorney permitted him to plead guilty in 2003 even though he was impaired by psychiatric medications at the time.

But a state appeals court on Thursday said Walker had failed to provide sufficient evidence to back up that claim.

"Defendant has never produced any competent evidence to support his claims of extreme intoxication, diminished capacity or inability to fully comprehend the plea proceedings, thus reducing his claims to mere bald assertions without any evidentiary support," according to the appellate decision.

The appellate panel upheld a Superior Court judge's ruling in 2013 to deny Walker's petition for post-conviction relief.

The incident occurred on Oct. 15, 2001 when Walker, then 32, flagged down his ex-girlfriend in Newark and asked her for a ride, the decision states. After Walker entered the car, the two of them got into an argument, the decision states.

Walker then forced the woman out of the car and drove after her as she tried to run away, the decision states.

"He drove up onto the sidewalk, pinned her against a building and repeatedly rammed her with the car, breaking her hip, both her wrists and severing one of her legs," the decision states.

On Feb. 19, 2003, Walker pleaded guilty to carjacking and attempted murder charges. Under a plea agreement, prosecutors recommended a 20-year prison sentence with 17 years to be served before Walker is eligible for parole. Walker received that sentence on April 16, 2003.

Walker, who received credit for time served, will be eligible for parole in October 2018.

MORE: Bust of carjacking ring, sentencing of man who killed co-worker top week in crime

In the years following his guilty plea, Walker asserted that the medications he was taking had affected his ability to understand the plea, the decision states.

In 2008, a judge rejected that argument, noting that Walker had been deemed competent to stand trial before his guilty plea, and that he "was 'lucid, coherent, and answered questions in a straightforward manner' during his plea colloquy," the decision states.

"The judge concluded that 'defendant has not provided the Court with any evidence that would substantiate claims of mental incompetence,'" the decision states.

When another judge denied Walker's petition for post-conviction relief in 2013, the judge noted the findings of the psychologist who performed Walker's competency evaluation, the decision states.

That doctor "concluded that defendant's test results, which were at odds with his observed abilities, suggested defendant was exaggerating his symptoms possibly to avoid criminal responsibility for his actions," the decision states.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Residents of Essex, Somerset and Sussex counties will find plenty of fresh items at their neighborhood locations.

MONTCLAIR FARMERS MARKET 

"All food, no gimmicks" is the way market organizers like to describe this weekly one which takes place Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The market will continue this season through the weekend before Thanksgiving (there is a mini winter market as well). Patrons can expect to find 20 vendors (five farmers and and 15 food artisans) on a weekly basis. Fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, wines, apple cider, spices and more are all available for purchase. This year, the Montclair Farmers' Market also introduced a double value coupon program, doubling SNAP, WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition benefits for fruits and vegetables. 86 Walnut St., Montclair.  

SUSSEX COUNTY FARMERS MARKET 

Northwestern New Jersey residents seeking a spot for some one-stop shopping should consider visiting the Sussex County Fairgrounds, Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Since opening for business in 2009, this market inside of a barn-style building has offered fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, cheese, honey, baked goods and more. The focus is all about supporting local growers like Dana Ray Farm, Glen Malure Farm, Green Valley Farms, Windy Brow Farm and others. 37 Plains Road, Augusta.  

SOMERVILLE DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET

Honey, vegan baked treats, prepared foods from locally sourced ingredients, pickles and olives and more are all on offer at this market, which takes place Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Only three opportunities left for the season -- the market wraps up on Nov. 19. Division St. Plaza, Somerville.

RAMSEY FARMERS MARKET

We highlighted this market in one of our roundups earlier in the season, but seeing as how this one runs all the way through Nov. 29, it seems worth another mention. Taking place Sundays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the market features 50 local farmers and food purveyors, oferring organic fruits and vegetables, gluten free baked products, artisan breads and fine cheeses, and even yak and goat meat. The Nov. 8 market will include a special visit from Anahata Cacao and its bean-to-bar chocolate. Main Street Train Station, Ramsey. 

Want to share information about your farmers' market? Contact Bill Gelman at bkgelman@hotmail.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Sean Roberson was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for his role in a $30 million scheme to sell nearly 70,000 cards used by criminals across the country to make unauthorized credit and debit card transactions with stolen payment card data.

NEWARK--Sean Roberson got caught up in his first major fraud when he was convicted of selling fake New Jersey driver's licenses and health insurance cards over the internet.

By 2011--then living in Palm Bay, Fl. --he had turned to on-line counterfeit credit cards.

On Tuesday, Roberson was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jose Linares in Newark to six and a half years in prison for his role in a $30 million scheme to sell nearly 70,000 fake cards that investigators said were used by criminals across the country to make unauthorized credit and debit card transactions with stolen payment card data.

Roberson, 40, pleaded guilty in September 2014 to running a Hudson County-based website called fakeplastic.net, which prosecutors said filled thousands of orders for the counterfeit payment cards, as well as the holographic stickers needed to make phony bank credit cards. It also sold holographic overlays that were used to create fake driver's licenses purportedly issued in New Jersey, Ohio, Connecticut and Florida, and other states.

The stickers and overlays sold for as little as $1, admitted Roberson, who the U.S. Attorney's office called the "mastermind" of a nationwide operation that fueled his purchase of a home, a boat, a Hummer and a bitcoin account. Losses from the counterfeit cards that were trafficked were estimated at more than $30 million.

His co-defendants charged in the case, Vinicio Gonzalez and Hugo Rebaza, both of Palm Bay, Fl., also entered guilty pleas.

SEE ALSO: Hackers tied to $300M credit card scheme

Gonzalez was responsible for printing and mailing out the phony payment cards, said the FBI in court filings. Rebaza, said investigators, opened "mail drops" with fake identification to receive supplies used to print the counterfeit cards, and also to receive payment from some of Roberson's customers.

Purchases could be made using bitcoin or U.S. currency, with an embossed counterfeit card fetching as much as $15, according to court papers.

Gonzalez was sentenced to three years in prison and Rebaza received a term of 12 months.

One-stop shopping

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman called fakeplastic.net a "one-stop online shop" for credit card fraud. It was allegedly accessed by groups of criminals across the country known as "carding" or "cash out" crews.

Using stolen payment card numbers and related information--often referred to as "track data" or "dumps"--the information was encoded on the magnetic stripe on the back of the fake payment and bank cards, and then used to purchase merchandise or obtain cash from ATM machines until the data theft was discovered.

Stolen account information typically is obtained through hacking or skimming operations that target retail stores or the use of card readers wired into modified ATM locations.

Investigators said the fakeplastic.net website allowed buyers to browse to select the design and look of the fake payment card they were looking to order from a selection of templates bearing the trademarks of legitimate payment card issuers. They could input an account number, name, expiration date and security card directly through the website, and receive an embossed card with all the hacked information.

Bitcoin, which uses peer-to-peer technology to operate with no central authority or banks, was the favored means of transactions by fakeplastic.net. (Karen Bleier | AFP/Getty Images)

At one point, authorities said fakeplastic.net stopped accepting currency. Posted on the website was the warning: "I strongly urge everyone who is working in our line of work to start using bitcoin. Bitcoin cannot be shutdown by any person or government, it cannot track your ass down, it is anonymous and safe."

In addition to incarceration, Roberson was ordered to pay back $3.5 million. He also forfeited his bitcoin account, a house in Palm Bay, a 2013 Yamaha motorboat and trailer, and a 2008 Hummer.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Suspect also had weapon, police say

NEWARK -- A 20-year-old man was arrested on weapons and drug charges early Monday morning after police allegedly found him in possession of marijuana and a loaded .22-caliber handgun.

Robert Sciarrino 

Detectives on patrol near S. 15th Street and 18th Avenue saw two men arguing in the middle of the street shortly before 3 a.m., department spokesman Sgt. Ron Glover said.

When detectives left their unmarked car and walked towards the men, one of them, Javen Boyd, adjusted a pouch around his waist, revealing the butt of a handgun sticking out, Glover said. Boyd was stopped when he tried to enter a nearby building.

Boyd was arrested after police found the gun as well as several bags of the drug inside the pouch, Glover also said.

"I am reminded of the dedication of Newark's police officers to the citizens and the department's mission to get weapons, drugs  and the criminals involved off our city streets when I get to commend them on the work they do every day," said Police Director Eugene Venable. 

Police ask that anyone with information about this or any other crime call the department's 24-hour Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867).

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

 

Check to see the preliminary results.

ESSEX COUNTY -- Voters in Essex County Tuesday went to the polls to decide who will serve on local school boards and municipal councils, and in two key county seats.

Check the list below, which will be updated throughout the night with preliminary election results, as provided by the Essex County Clerk's office.

Please be sure to refresh. Results will be updated throughout the evening.

Sheriff

One three-year term 

Armando Fontoura (D)

Antonio Pires (R)

Clerk

One five-year term 

Christopher Durkin (D) 

Adam Kraemer (R) 

Board of Education

Two three-year terms

Thomas D. Grolimond

Nelson Barrera

Christine Lamparello

Jeanne Lombardi

Erika Jacho

Board of Education

Three three-year terms

Daniel Anderson

Kent A.F. Weisert (*Weisert died last month, but his name remained on the ballot)

Ruth Hidalgo

Town Council

Two three-year terms

Francis Rogers (D)

Stephen Flack (D)

Richard Hauser (R)

Ricardo Alonso (R)

Caldwell/West Caldwell Board of Education

Two three-year terms

Thomas D. Adams

Christopher D'Ambola

Council

One unexpired term 

Michael Mafucci 

John E. Martinelli

Board of Education

Two three-year terms

Frank Mandala

Peter Prvuloic

Town Council, First Ward

One three-year term

Amy Lewis (D)

Almeta Walker (I)

Town Council, Second Ward

One three-year term

Jacquelyn Johnson (D)

Town Council, Third Ward

One three-year term

Quilla Talmadge (D)

Mayme V. Robinson (I)

Town Council, Fourth Ward

One three-year term

Casim Gomez (D)

Town Council, Fifth Ward

One three-year term

Mustafa Brent (D)

Borough Council

One unexpired term

Gregory Hindy(R)

Two three-year terms

William Sullivan (R)

Glenn Koechling (R)

Board of Education

Two three-year terms

Steven LoCascio

Michele Nitti

West Essex Board of Education

One three-year term

Ann Fahey

Mayor

Three-year term 

James Gasparini (R) 

Board of Education

Two three-year terms

Pasquale Freda

Robert V. Lombardy, Jr.

West Essex Board of Education

One three-year term

Kristin Bachmann

Mayor

Four-year term

Stuart Patrick (I)

Borough Council

Two three-year terms

Ann Marie Morrow (I)

Paul A. Lisocicz (I)

Board of Education

Three three-year terms

Alexandra Hilberth

Timothy Keppel

David J. Cambell

Board of Education

Two three-year terms

Pamela Lisa Chirls

Ronnie Ferber Konner

Michael J. Ramer

Barry Funt

Kevin Kline

Township Committee

Two three-year terms

Nancy Adams (D)

Greg Lembrich (D)

Phyllis Scalera (R)

Maplewood South Orange Board of Education

Three three-year terms

Annemarie Maini

Christopher H. Sabin

Dorcas Lind

Wayne Eastman

Margaret Freedson

Madhi Pai

Marian C. Raab

Elissa L. Malespina

Shannel Roberts

Township Committee

One three-year term

Diane Eglow (D)

Jodi Rosenberg(R)

Board of Education

Three three-year terms

Philip Choong

David S. Leibowitz

Borough Council

Two three-year terms

Francis Astorino (R)

Robert Kessler (R)

Board of Education

Two three-year terms

Jann Burks Skelton

Melinda Mindy Opper

West Essex Board of Education

One three-year term

Maryadele Wojtowicz

Board of Education

Three three-year terms

Salvatore Balsamo

Blaire Rzempoluch

Ryan Kline

Deborah J. Russo

One unexpired term

Brenda C. Sherman

Borough Council

Two three-year terms

Peter Smith (R)

Thomas Tsilionis (R)

Board of Education

Two three-year terms

Scott A. Gorman

Antoinette Parkinson

Paul Mastrangelo

Jean Perrotti

Maplewood South Orange Board of Education

Three three-year terms

Annemarie Maini

Christopher H. Sabin

Dorcas Lind

Wayne Eastman

Margaret Freedson

Madhi Pai

Marian C. Raab

Elissa L. Malespina

Shannel Roberts

Board of Education

Two three-year terms

John Quattrocchi

Michele Bernardino

Joanna Breitenbach

Township Council

Two three-year terms

Stanley Hladik (R)

Michael Crudele (R)

Caldwell/West Caldwell Board of Education

Two three-year terms

Thomas D. Adams

Christopher D'Ambola

Board of Education

Two three-year terms

Michelle Casatino

Ronald Charles

Irving Schwarzbaum

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

The fraternity says it is investigating the allegations.

File photo. (AP Photo | Elaine Thompson) 

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- A Yale University fraternity is under fire after a New Jersey woman and others alleged its members turned partygoers away from a gathering over the weekend because of their race.

"This weekend I was privy to both explicitly racist and absolutely abhorrent behavior at Yale's chapter of the SAE fraternity," Sofia Petros-Gouin, of Maplewood, posted on her Facebook page.

"It's about time we take a seriously critical look at Greek life in this country in general and the way girls of color are treated at elite universities."

According to the Washington Post, Petros-Gouin is a Columbia University student who was visiting friends at Yale over the weekend when she said she saw dark-skinned girls getting turned away from a Sigma Alpha Epsilon party.

Frat brothers at the door allegedly told the group that they were "only looking for white girls," Petros-Gouin told the Post.

The Yale chapter of the Fraternity reportedly denied the allegation that race was a factor, telling the Yale Daily News that the fraternity only started turning guests away after receiving instruction from the Yale PD to limit the size and noise of the gathering.

A Yale spokesman confirmed that a college dean is investigating the allegations.

The national chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon has been investigating the allegations, it said in a statement on its website. According to the initial investigation, the frat brothers were complying with a police-received noise complaint when they stopped admitting guests, the statement said.

The investigation is ongoing, it said.

"Our chapter at Yale University is comprised of a diverse group of students, and similarly, the social event included a diverse number of attendees," the group said in the statement.

"Our leadership has zero tolerance for any behaviors or actions that deviate from our values, mission and creed."

Petros-Gouin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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

 

Preliminary results indicate a large percentage of voters supported the measure.

Preliminary results indicate a large percentage of voters supported the measure. (Robert Sciarrino | The Star-Ledger)
 

NEWARK -- Voters in the city have approved a measure to increase taxes in order to fund improvements to parkland along the Passaic River, according to preliminary vote tallies Tuesday night.

With about 95 percent of preliminary votes counted, 5,685 Newarkers - about 85 percent of voters who turned out - voted in favor of the measure.

The referendum, according to the county clerk's office, will increase the open space and recreational fund levy from 1 cent per $100 of assessed value to 3 cents. The increase, which will be in effect for 30 years, will be used to expand Riverfront Park.

MORE: Results of 2015 Assembly, local, county, school races 

The Newark city council voted in July to add the question to the ballot. Officials at the time said the tax increase would raise about $2.4 million each year, which would be used to acquire and pay for a $30 million bond to complete the city's portion of Newark Riverfront Park.

The question was the only Newark matter on the ballot Tuesday. See the results of countywide and other Essex municipal races here.

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

 

Homeless men and women in Newark have been given cameras in a pilot program so we can see how they see the city.

The camera is a powerful tool for Sarah VanAllen.

It gives her a chance to forget she's homeless --even if it's only for a couple of hours a week - and to interrupt the daily grind of looking for work and permanent housing.

"It's something to escape (with), something to relax to,'' she says. 

VanAllen, 49, is taking a photography class in Newark, one in which her classmates understand her plight. All of them are homeless, too.

The class is part of a program called "Perspectives" offered through Project Connect from Bridges, a homeless assistance organization, based in Summit and with a Newark office.

More than a month ago, Bridges received a $3,000 grant from the Newark Arts Council to give digital cameras to people who are homeless in Newark.

Over the next six months, Lois Bhatt, executive director of Bridges, says homeless men and women will use photography to let others see what they see in Newark. Part of the project, if the eight participants desire, would be for them to also document their lives.

To make this happen, Bridges brought in Akintola Hanif, a Newark street photographer, who is also the editor and founder of HYCIDE magazine.

Hanif has only been working with the class for about six weeks, but the HYCIDE/Bridges connection has opened up their world in ways they could not see until they started looking through the camera's viewfinder.

VanAllen, who has been homeless for more than a year, knew there were flowers in Newark's Military Park. She just didn't see them until she started taking pictures.

"I notice them a lot more now that I'm not on the move,'' says VanAllen, who lives in transitional housing.

On one of their walking trips in the field, the group hit the streets around Newark Penn Station, taking pictures of people. 

Hanif was encouraging, reminding the fledgling photographers to line up their pictures and to be sure there was no clutter or unnecessary objects in their photographs.  He was telling them how to focus and when to squeeze the shutter.

"You see those green dots that pop up?'' he asks. "When those are on the subject, you know you are in focus.''

Onlookers were impressed and even posed to help the novice photographers capture images.

"This is good,''says Raul Ghost, who stopped to let Karl Coston take a picture. "You're seeing Newark at one of its finest moments.''

Coston, 58, loves this class.  He is not only learning, but on one of the outings, he unexpectedly got a job when the group went to Military Park. The Burg, a restaurant inside the park, hired him as dishwasher and to do light maintenance.

A former computer engineer, Coston believes this new job and hobby are the first steps to make him whole again.

After his wife died 10 years ago, he says he went into depression, then drugs. His fall was fast and hard. He didn't know how to cope and wound up on the streets for six years. Since last week, he's been bunking with a friend.

Despite the setbacks, the class has Coston looking at life differently. He found himself on his own this past Sunday, wandering through Military Park and staring at tree angles, the different shades of their leaves and wondering how he could take a meaningful picture.

"All of sudden now, the street is like a canvas,'' he says.  "It's a beautiful, screwed-up canvas. There's much beauty in it, but then there's so much stuff that's screwed up in it.''

Hanif says he has seen the class members grow in their photography abilities in such a short time, but just as important, his students are enjoying themselves.

"We're laughing, we're joking, we're moving around,'' Hanif says.  "The photographs are one thing, but its more of the energy exchange than anything else.''

At the end of six months, this snapshot of Newark will become a visual narrative for a book and studio exhibit in the city. Hanif will select 30 photographs and proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the homeless photographers. They get to keep the cameras to continue their artistry, but Sakinah Abdul-Hakeem, manager of Project Connect, says she 's not certain if the pilot program will continue. 

Whatever happens, Roscoe Moses, 61, is looking forward to showing his work. The program, he says, has given him purpose in life, because living in a shelter for four months is not where he wants to be.

He sees himself in an apartment, with an income from landscaping jobs - work he already does. There won't be any store-bought art on the walls. All of the pictures will be images he has taken with his camera.

He likes animals, so there could be some geese - and he says the Jersey shoreline also would look good in a frame.

But there's nothing Moses likes more than well-landscaped property, with an assortment of shrubbery and flowers.

That just might be the subject of one of his photographs, too.

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

Crime still haunts New Jersey's cities and finds its victims in the suburbs. But latest quarterly report by the State Police, released last week, shows the overall index of major crimes—homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft—fell by 14.2 percent from the first nine months of 2015, compared with the same period last year, continuing a downward trend for the state.

TRENTON--Cops and robbers were on center stage in the political arena this week, as President Barack Obama visited New Jersey to call attention to programs returning ex-cons to society, and Gov. Chris Christie visited Camden to talk about the drop in violent crime there.

"There are people who have gone through tough times, they've made mistakes, but with a little bit of help, they can get on the right path," Obama said at Rutgers University School of Law. "It's not too late."

Christie, meanwhile, took time off the campaign trail where he is running for the Republican nomination for president, to make a counterpoint in Camden, where the city disbanded its beleaguered police force two years ago and replaced it with a county-run department.

"Camden and the way you are working with your community is a symbol, a model for our country in the middle of a national discussion about how law enforcement should be done in America," Christie said in a speech to officers.

Crime, though, remains a serious problem in Camden and elsewhere. An analysis by NJ Advance Media of urban violence shows that Camden, despite its gains, remains the state's most dangerous, based on the number of serious crimes population.

Still, crime has indeed dropped significantly in New Jersey.

RELATED: FBI reports show decline in violent crime

The latest quarterly report by the NJ State Police, released last week, shows the overall index of major crimes--homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft--fell by 14.2 percent from the first nine months of 2015, compared with the same period last year.

Year-to-year, crime rates fell in all categories from 2013 to 2014, except for rape, where a change how some sexual assaults are now reported has increased the number of reports.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Rev. Ron Christian was found dead in his office at Christian Love Baptist Church last week

IRVINGTON - Funeral services have been set to honor the life of prominent local pastor Rev. Ron Christian. 

Representatives at Christian Love Baptist Church in Irvington, where the man known simply as "Rev. Ron" had served as pastor since 2000, confirmed that he the memorials would be spread across three days this week.

They will begin at the Lyons Avenue church on Thursday, where Christian will lie in state from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. A wake service is planned for 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

He will also lie in state at Essex County Newark Tech on West Market Street from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The services will conclude with a celebration of life service at the high school at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The popular reverend, called to the pulpit after a battle with heroin addiction and a stint in prison, was found dead in his office at Christian Love on Friday morning.

Authorities have said they do not suspect foul play, though an official cause of death is not expected for three to four months.

Man who lost most of his belongings in Superstorm Sandy was the first recipient.

Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins; West Ward Councilman Joe McCallum; Isaac Ezirim; Habitat Newark CEO Jeffrey J. Farrell; and South Ward Councilman John S. James at the dedication ceremony. (Courtesy Habitat Newark)
 

NEWARK -- More than three years ago, most of Issac Ezirim's belongings were destroyed. He had been keeping them in a storage facility in Newark's Ironbound district that was washed out by Superstorm Sandy.

In a ceremony Monday, Habitat for Humanity and the GI Go Fund changed his luck.

Ezirim, an immigrant from Nigeria and U.S. army veteran, contributed about 200 hours of "sweat equity" to help Habitat build his family a new home on South 9th Avenue in the city's Central Ward, the organization announced this week. It held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the home earlier this week.

MORE: Turnpike service area destroyed by Sandy reopening

"I am so grateful," Ezirim, who called the new three-bedroom house the "home of my dreams," said in a release about the event.

The build was part of Habitat Newark's new "Veteran Initiative," which is constructing homes throughout the city for returning vets. Ezirim's home dedication ceremony, which was attended by city council members and sponsors of the initiative, was held in honor of Veteran's Day later this month.

"This is the first of what we will be a string of homes constructed for deserving men and women who have given so much to preserve and protect our freedom," Jeffrey Farrell, CEO of Habitat Newark, said in the release.

"It is an honor to serve those who have so bravely served our country."

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

 

An overnight shooting in the city's East Ward left one victim dead, authorities say.

NEWARK -- An overnight shooting in the city's East Ward left one victim dead, authorities confirmed Wednesday.

The shooting occurred in the 100 block of Avenue C, said Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter.

Additional details of the incident were not immediately available, she added.

The killing, the first recorded since the start of November, dampens hopes that the city could avoid a increase in annual homicides.

With the Wednesday morning homicide, the city's 2015 homicide total now stands at 83. After a harrowing summer that erased gains made earlier in the year, Newark remains on pace to exceed the 2014 homicide total of 93.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka acknowledged the possibility of a slight increase in annual homicides Monday at press conference following President Barack Obama's visit to the city. 

"We're on course to see a slight uptick in violence because of crime over the summer, but we're not there yet," Baraka said.

Officials hope that the various community engagement programs established by the city will help reduce the homicide numbers in a "holistic way," Baraka said. The addition of 41 new officers, who officials said will be assigned to patrol the city's most violence-plagued corners, to the city's police force could also help curb a potential increase in homicides, he continued.

"We're still hopeful that by the end of the year we'll see the numbers remain stead, but we're not satisfied with that," he said "We're going to work hard so that we see [the numbers]dip."

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Anyone with more information about this incident can contact Morris County CrimeStoppers at www.copcall.org, calling 973-COP-CALL, or texting 274637 using keyword "MORRISTIP."

MORRIS PLAINS -- Authorities have released surveillance photos of three men they say were involved in the armed robbery of a Stop and Shop employee Monday evening and offered a $1,000 reward for information.

At about 7 p.m., a 17-year-old employee of the Stop and Shop supermarket located at the intersection of Route 10 and Route 202 was assaulted by a man in the parking lot, according to a news release from the Morris County Sheriff's Office.

During the assault, a passerby tried to help the teen when his assailant displayed a handgun before fleeing the area, authorities said.

MORE: $20K reward offered for info on fatal Route 15 hit-and-run

Morris Plains police are asking for the public's help in identifying the suspect and two others who all fled in a black Dodge Charger. The vehicle is registered in New Jersey, has a license plate of V79-FNA, and is a rental out of Newark Liberty International Airport, authorities said.

Anyone with more information about this incident can contact Morris County CrimeStoppers at www.copcall.org, calling 973-COP-CALL, or texting 274637 using keyword "MORRISTIP." Tips can be made anonymously.

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