Alleged scheme spanned from California to New Jersey.

NEWARK -- Five men were arraigned on drug distribution charges Wednesday in Newark federal court after they were arrested in California with 33 pounds of cocaine that was headed for New Jersey, prosecutors said.

Froylan Gil Palomares, 39, Javier Armando Cortes Quintal, 48, both Mexican nationals, Efrain Cardenas Alcaras, 39, of Sunnyside, Washington, Sergio Kevin Calvio Ayala, 28, of Fontana, California, and Luis Tomas Alba Urena, 53, of Prospect Park -- were indicted on drug conspiracy-related offenses, according to U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark.

Investigators monitored communications involving Alba between Aug. 31, 2016 and Feb. 8, which led authorities to seize about two pounds of cocaine that he and Quintal allegedly sold to another person in California Sept. 26, 2016, according to court documents. 

Alba, Quintal and the unnamed prospective drug buyer later negotiated the sale of cocaine that the person would bring to New Jersey, federal authorities alleged. Alba and that person traveled to California from New Jersey after agreeing to terms of the deal.

Investigators on Feb. 8 watched as Quintal, Alba, Gil Palomares, Calvio and Cardenas Alcaras met with the unidentified person at a store parking lot in Burbank, California, according to federal authorities. Cardenas Alcaras and Calvio pointed the individual to check in a Jeep for the cocaine shipment.

Law enforcement officers arrested the men and found 33 pounds of cocaine at the scene as well as a .380 pistol, according to court filings.

The men were ordered detained after the arraignment in Newark. They each face a possible minimum 10 year prison term and a maximum life sentence.

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

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Which players were the best at each position this season?

After presiding over a building boom, the hiring of more police officers and good times overall for Newark, Baraka looks toward four more years after the the May 2018 election

NEWARK -- After a first term presiding over a downtown building boom, employment and technology initiatives, and the hiring of police officers to address crime city-wide, Mayor Ras Baraka will make it official on Thursday: he is running for re-election.

Baraka will hold a Noon press conference on the steps of City Hall, joined by members of his City Council slate and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Phil Murphy, who was endorsed by the mayor early in the primary race.

"Over the past three years, our beloved city has grown from 'Newark 2.0' and then 'Newark 3.0' to 'Newark Forward'," Baraka said in a statement on Wednesday. "This represents our vision for moving our city -- our economic growth, our institutions, and most importantly, our people."

Baraka, a 47-year-old Newark native, thanked his administration, City Council members, and county, state and federal officials who had worked with him during his first term on initiatives intended to build lasting prosperity in Newark, particularly for those constituents who have not always shared in the city's gains.

"I look forward to continuing to work with them all to ensure that the interests of our residents are protected and that we remain vigilant in our service to them all."

On Wednesday night, for example, the City Council is scheduled for a final vote on an inclusionary zoning ordinance that would require 20 percent of new apartments in buildings of 30 units or more be set aside for low and moderate income earners.

On Monday, Baraka -- son of the late poet and activist Amiri Baraka --  will join city employers to lay out details of his "Newark 2020" initiative, which aims to hire 2,020 city residents by the year 2020.

Baraka has raised taxes to pay for additional police officers in an effort to restore police ranks depleted during tough economic times under Baraka's predecessor, Cory Booker. The canpaign said the Newark Police Department has graduated 253 new officers from the academy since Baraka took office in July 2014. During that time, according to the campaign, "Newark saw the biggest crime drop in 50 years."

Baraka has become a common sight at groundbreaking and ribbon cutting ceremonies for development projects, among the most notable being the opening of a Whole Foods supermarket in March, which is part of the mixed-use redevelopment of the Hahne & Company Department store site, which opened in January.  

Wednesday's announcement said campaign offices will open in each of the city's five wards over the next several months. The campaign is being led by Baraka's brother and longtime advisor, Amiri "Middy" Baraka, who had served as the mayor's chief of staff.

Wednesday's announcement, issued by his "Team Baraka" campaign staff, listed accolades from the White House and national publications collected by Baraka in the three years following his win over a an assistant state attorney general, Shavar Jefferies, in the May 2014 mayoral race.

"He was listed in The Nation's 2015 'Most Valuable Progressives' as 'Most Valuable Mayor', Ebony Magazine's 'Power 100,' and on the front page of the New York Times for 'defying expectations' during his first year-and-half in office,"  the announcement crowed.

Baraka, a spoken word artist who has made recordings with Lauren Hill and others, is a former principal of Newark's Central High School.

He was first elected to the City Council in 2002, and while a councilman Baraka was occasionally critical of his predecessor, Booker, who is now New Jersey's junior U.S. Senator.

Baraka's first, unsuccessful bid for mayor was in 1994, at age 24.

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

The two had pleaded guilty to racketeering and drug charges, authorities said.

Hakeem Vanderhall, left, and Eric Concepcion. (Essex County Correctional Facility)
 

NEWARK -- Two men who admitted they were part of a major crack cocaine operation in Newark will be spending 18 years in prison.

Grape Street Crips Hakeem Vanderhall, 33, of East Orange, and Eric Concepcion, 30, of Clifton, were sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty earlier this year to helping run a large-scale racketeering and drug trafficking operation concentrating on 6th Avenue and North 5th Street in Newark, Acting U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick announced in a release.

According to authorities, the two and other members of the gang used a shared cell phone to take orders and dole out thousands of clips of crack cocaine to other drug distributors, many of whom were gang members.

The two, and others, also shared a cache of community guns they used to carry out the drug trade, many of which were seized during an investigation into the operation, Fitzpatrick said.

The two were also sentenced to five years of supervised release, authorities said.

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

A company that offered an investment in marijuana businesses advocated the value of pot for pets on its website.

NEWARK -- A 46-year-old Springfield man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly operating a scheme of selling stocks at artificially inflated prices and stealing $1.1 million from investors over a period of six months.

James Farinella, faces one count of securities fraud, acting U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick said in a statement.

From June 2012 through December 2012, Farinella and others allegedly operated a "pump-and-dump" stock manipulation scheme to fraudulently inflate the prices of Pazoo Inc. known as PZOO.

The Pazoo, on its website, describes itself as a "unique company focused on health, wellness and safety through a range of wholly-owned ventures." It lists four companies involved in the cannabis testing industry, including one called Cannabis King. 

However, a paragraph about Pazoo Inc. includes a link to another screen that talks about the effectiveness of "pot for pets."

Phone calls to Pazoo went to an answering machine that has a message ending with phrase: "And remember, be inspired and live powerful." Attempts to reach Farinella were unsuccessful.

Federal authorities say that from June 2012 through December 2012, Farinella and others allegedly operated the scheme to fraudulently inflate the prices of the stock.

However, Pazoo had little or no real business operations, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

When the company started in June 2012, Farinella controlled 98 percent of the free-trading shares in Pazoo, authorities said.

Farinella and other conspirators allegedly pumped up the price of those shares by orchestrating a series of trades between accounts they controlled, creating the appearance that the stock price was rising and was heavily traded.

To further inflate the prices, authorities said, Farinella and his conspirators disseminated misleading promotional materials to lure investors, and touted Pazoo as a leading provider of nutritional supplements for people and their pets.

After making stock prices appear higher, Farinella and other conspirators "dumped" the stock through sales of large volumes of the stock to investors, federal authorities allege.

They said the stock prices then dropped, causing large losses for investors. Federal authorities said the scheme generated approximately $1.1 million in gross trading proceeds.

Fitzpatrick said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil complaint against Farinella on Wednesday. Fitzpatrick credited the arrest to the work of the FBI, led by Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark.

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

The Passaic man will likely receive an eight year sentence after pleading guilty to the crime.

Kopic. (Courtesy Essex County Prosecutor's Office)
 

NEWARK -- A man will likely spend eight years behind bars after admitting Wednesday that he posed as a police officer in order to break into an Irvington home, tie up two women, and rob them of thousands of dollars in cash and jewelry, authorities said.

Wednesday, Peter Kopic, 38, of Passaic, pleaded guilty to burglary, robbery, impersonating an officer, and conspiracy -- one day after his trial on the charges had begun, newly-minted Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino announced in a release. As part of the deal, kidnapping charges Kopic was also facing were dismissed, Laurino said.

Authorities said Kopic and another man went to an apartment on Manor Drive in Irvington on Aug. 6, 2011 dressed up as police officers. After saying they had a search warrant to get into the home, the duo tied the two women inside up with zip ties and put them in a back room, Assistant Prosecutor Jason Goldberg said in the release. Two children -- a five-year-old and an 11-month-old -- were kept in the back bedroom with the women, while the two imposters stole jewelry and money, he said.

"This case shows that even after six years of the defendant avoiding prosecution, that a community and neighbors will bravely come together when called upon to stand up to a predator who preyed upon defenseless women and children for his own personal gain," Goldberg said in the release.

"While the defendant ran from these charges for six long years, the combined effort of law enforcement and the community continued the pursuit of justice and ensured that the defendant was held accountable for this horrible home invasion."

Kopic will be sentenced on Nov. 3, when authorities say he is expected to receive eight years.

Duo admitted roles in shootings, murder and heroin trade.

NEWARK -- Two high-ranking members of an Essex County-based Bloods street gang set were sentenced to 30 years in prison for their roles in a conspiracy that included several shootings and the killing of a rival gang member, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

Narik "Spaz" Wilson (Photo: Essex County jail) 

Narik "Spaz" Wilson, 32, and Emil "Diddy" Rutledge, 28, both of Newark, pleaded guilty in November to federal racketeering conspiracy charges, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced in a statement. The two were charged in 2014 stemming from their roles in the Sex Money Murder subset of the Bloods.

Wilson and Rutledge admitted that from 2007 to 2011 they were behind a string of violent crime to further the gang's agenda, according to federal prosecutors. Wilson, who was identified by authorities as a gang leader known as an "O.G.," and Rutledge, his deputy, committed the violent acts to secure a grip on the heroin and crack cocaine market in a Newark neighborhood. 

Under a plea, Wilson previously admitted that he ordered his subordinates to attempt to kill at least eight rival gang members in several shootings, according to prosecutors. One drive-by shooting, which Rutledge took part in, claimed the life of a rival on July 14, 2011. 

Both men also admitted to conspiring to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin around Newark, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

A team of federal agents, from the FBI, DEA and ATF, working with Essex County and Newark law enforcement officers were credited with working on the investigation.

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

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He was also found him guilty of weapons and hindering charges in the May 2015 shooting

NEWARK -- An Essex County jury on Wednesday found Andre Higgs guilty of murder in the May 1, 2015 fatal shooting of Latrena May, a teacher at Pride Academy Charter School and the mother of Higgs' daughter.

In addition to murder, the jury seated before Superior Court Judge Ronald D. Wigler found Higgs, 45, of Watchung, guilty of unlawfully possessing of a weapon, possessing a weapon for an unlawful purpose and hindering, but acquitted him of endangering a child, following almost five weeks of testimony.

The jury deliberated for approximately an hour and 45 minutes before returning the verdict. Members of Higgs' family began to sob as the guilty verdicts were read, and were escorted out of the courtroom by sheriff's officers separately from May's family, who sat in the gallery behind Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab.

"My heart goes out to the May family," Edwab told NJ Advance Media following the verdict. "I hope this helps them begin the healing process from this nightmare that they've been suffering since May 1, 2015."

Prosecutors said Higgs fatally shot May, 27, on the top steps of her two-family building in East Orange front of a police officer, who had pulled over after May called out to him. That officer, Detective Kemon Lee, testified earlier during the trial that he subsequently shot Higgs, who retreated into the house, where he was later arrested by police.

Authorities said the murder weapon, a .45-caliber Astra semi-automatic pistol, was found hidden behind bags of rock salt in the hallway.

Less than two months prior to May's death, Higgs was charged with simple assault following an alleged domestic violence incident during which May said he choked her in front of their daughter. The couple's daughter, then 4, was inside the home at the time of the shootings, but was unharmed.

At the time of May's death, Higgs was living with his fiancee and other children in Watchung, attorneys said.

"I am extremely grateful that Detective Kemon Lee was able to arrive on the scene and catch this defendant seconds after he committed this horrible, heinous crime," Edwab said. "And I'm just glad that Detective Lee had the wherewithal to protect the community and try and save this innocent female by shooting Andre Higgs."

Higgs himself took the stand Tuesday, insisting that the gun that killed May had belonged to her, and that he had taken it from her when she followed him out of her apartment, wearing only underwear and a tank top, during an argument. He testified that he didn't intend to kill May or remember firing the shots that took her life, and insisted the officer shot first as Higgs tried to explain why he was holding the gun.

Higgs' lawyers, Remi Spencer and Joseph P. Rem Jr., never disputed the gun was in his hands when it fired the three bullets that killed May, but attempted to show Lee acted recklessly and had misled investigators about his use of force, which they argued caused Higgs to inadvertently pull the trigger.

Dashcam video from Lee's patrol car shows the officer approaching the building's steps, gesturing to someone off screen and then firing, but does not show Higgs or May at the time the fatal shots were fired. Higgs' back is briefly visible in the footage as Lee first pulls up in front of the house.

Lee's shooting of Higgs was later determined by the state Attorney General's Office to have been justifiable, based on an investigation conducted by the Prosecutor's Office.

"We don't know, of our own eyes and ears, what happened that night," Rem told the jury Wednesday in his summations, cautioning them that it was not their job or burden to find out -- only to determine whether there was a reasonable doubt Higgs was guilty.

Defendant denies intent in teacher's killing

Rem described Higgs as having lived a nightmare since he was "falsely accused."

"And what a nightmare it's been," he said, pointing to what he described as inconsistencies in Lee's statements to investigators that were evidence of misconduct.

In his own summations, which sidestepped the defense team's accusations regarding Lee's use of force, Edwab said the dashcam video appeared to show a gun in Higgs' waistband before he passes out of the frame, and argued all three of the bullets that struck May were fired at a downward angle, contradicting the man's testimony that he had raised his hands and the gun in the air when the officer approached.

The assistant prosecutor said stippling on May's skin, which an assistant medical examiner said was caused by gunshots at close range, conflicted with Higgs' testimony that he was pushed back into the house as the officer's bullets struck him.

Wigler instructed the jury to return at 9 a.m. Friday to consider charges previously undisclosed to them, concerning the state's allegation that Higgs possessed the gun as a previously convicted felon.

Higgs' defense attorneys were unable to comment on the verdict Wednesday.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The pink pussy hat movement has turned to street sign graffiti as a vehicle to make its point Watch video

SOUTH ORANGE - A posse of "ninjas" led by a local anonymous activist is defacing pedestrian street signs in the name of women's solidarity.  

The stealth "Pussies United" campaign struck South Orange, Maplewood and Millburn, adding little black cat ear stickers to the heads of stick figures on signs.

The idea is an offshoot of the pink pussy hat movement that sprung from the November 2016 election, said the anonymous leader of Pussies United, a group started on Facebook.

"At the Women's March, there was this visible manifestation about how women feel. I want to reach out to people who shared in that collective experience and put it on the streets," she said.

Thousands at the Women's March on Washington during Trump's inauguration weekend in January wore pink knitted hats as a symbol of female empowerment.

The activist said she's tagged about 60 signs in all, including some in Quebec, Vermont and New Hampshire.

"I've heard from people in communities all over the place who want the stickers," she said.

The anonymous graffiti artist and activist said her growing posse of "pussy ninjas" will soon be heading to other towns, like Bedminister and Short Hills.

Pedestrian signs were chosen as the communication vehicle because "they were just begging to say something. They're so visible and there are so many of them."

That the hats are black, makes it subtle, she feels. "If they were pink, it would be too obvious. I just wanted to use a symbol of some kind that says something people can interpret for themselves."

Local officials said they support the message of women's equality, but that doesn't remove the illegal nature of the act. 

"I personally believe in the message, but as the Village President, I can't support tampering with street signs. It is in violation of our local ordinances," said South Orange Village President Sheena Collum. 

"I'm the first female to hold this role in the history of South Orange, so I'm very aware of the importance of the message," Collum said, noting Maplewood and South Orange sent 35 buses to the Women's March in January.

Maplewood Mayor Victor DeLuca hopes whoever is responsible will "police themselves" and take the stickers down.

"It's not legal and we're not encouraging it and if we find someone doing it, they'll be issued a citation for defacing public property. This is not something we will promote or allow," DeLuca said.

It's also a matter of safety, he added. "I'd hate to see someone looking at the sign and not paying attention to the road."

Maplewood Police Captain Dawn Williams said the department supports creative expression, but not when public property is defaced or damaged.

"Individuals involved could face criminal charges. In the event we locate defaced and/or damaged public property, we report it to the appropriate authority and a determination regarding corrective action can then be made," Williams said.

Having an open dialogue with the anonymous activist is something Collum is hoping can happen.

"We could partner together to spread the message in a proper way," Collum said. "Our residents are so passionate and politically active right now, it's unprecedented. We are a declared sanctuary city, we sent busses to the People's Climate March. Just in the past month alone we had the Moms Demand Action rally (for sensible gun control)." 

The Pussies United leader said she would consider talking to officials.

"I'm a good citizen. I work hard in the community to make it a great place and I'm not here to piss anyone off. I just want to get people thinking. The cultural institutions in place are stifling and we have to change the conversation," she said. 

Cindy Capitani may be reached at ccapitani@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @cindycap. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A second person was wounded in the West Ward shooting

NEWARK-- One person was shot and killed and another wounded Wednesday night, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office confirmed.

The shooting occurred around 8:30 p.m. at S. 10th Street and 18th Avenue. Investigators were seen entering a fried chicken restaurant at the scene and were also focused on a parked car in the area.

Additional information was not immediately available Wednesday night.

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

More than 800 riders made the annual trip from Rockaway Township to Newark to raise funds for sick children and their families.

ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP -- Hundreds of motorcyclists revved their engines as they cruised down Route 80 toward Newark for the 30th annual Gooch's Garlic Run.

More than 800 motorcyclists made the annual trip from Rockaway Townsquare Mall to the Ironbound section of Newark, escorted by State Police.

The charity event, run by Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, raised money for three families.

"Everything that's raised go directly to the kids," Kevin Hyland, organizer of the event and president of Blue Knights, said. Last year, the event raised $60,000 for needy families. 

Funds raised will benefit Hailey Rose Inserra, 11; Freddie Guzman, 12; and Teddy Dovel, 12.

Dovel died in early June after years of battling fighting Cockayne syndrome, an extremely rare premature aging disorder.

The event promised to still honor him, fulfilling it by surprising the family with a blanket with Teddy Dovel's picture. 

"We're very honored to be here and it's amazing, the outpouring love and support for Teddy and other children," Dottie Dovel, Teddy's mom, said. 

She said being at the event so soon after her son's death was bittersweet, but he would have loved it due to his love for motorcycles. 

The Dovel family said they will accept the donations to cover his final medical expenses, and donate the rest to the Cockayne Syndrome Foundation. 

The Tri-county Motorcycle Club led the motorcyclists down Route 80, followed by the Blue Knights. The Knights of Life, comprised of EMTs and the Knights of Fire, a group of firefighters, trailed behind them. All other individuals and groups rode behind them for the 25-mile journey. 

The Newark Police Department, Morris County Prosecutors, Morris County Park Police, Rockaway Township Police, Rockaway Borough Police, Dover Police, Wharton Police, Jefferson Police and Picatinny Department of Defense Police also took part in the event.

Hyland said since the event began 30 years ago, it has grown into something bigger than ever expected. 

"There's some die-hard followers of the event because we do so many good things around the community," he said. "We let the community know it's for a bigger cause."

John Picorale, 50, said he bought a motorcycle for the sole reason of participating in the Gooch's Garlic Run. He's ridden in the event since 1999. 

"It's fun with the fellas. People from all around come here. I think it's a great thing," he said. 

The Parsippany native said the families are the reason him and his 20 friends come to event every year. 

"It's why we're here and why we support it," Picarole said. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be riding down with 800 other people to Newark on a Wednesday."

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snieto-munoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

As we start summer, we share some interesting facts about the Jersey Shore .... * Beachwood in Ocean County was settled as part of a newspaper promotion. A promotional campaign by The New York Tribune in 1914 offered parcels of land in the area in exchange for a subscription. * In 1943, the New York Yankees held their spring...

As we start summer, we share some interesting facts about the Jersey Shore ....

* Beachwood in Ocean County was settled as part of a newspaper promotion. A promotional campaign by The New York Tribune in 1914 offered parcels of land in the area in exchange for a subscription.

* In 1943, the New York Yankees held their spring training in Asbury Park instead of Florida due to wartime conservation of fuel and transportation priorities for the military.

* The coast of modern day Wildwood Crest is the location of the only Revolutionary War battle fought in Cape May County. The area was known as Turtle Gut Inlet at the time. Fought on June 29, 1776, the battle was an important early victory for the Continental Navy.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

* In 2005, Fox briefly aired a show called "Point Pleasant," based in the Ocean County town. The drama centered around a body washing ashore on Point Pleasant Beach; it was canceled due to poor ratings, though 13 episodes were filmed.

* Sandy Hook is home to New Jersey's only legal nude beach. Gunnison Beach is technically located on federal property as part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, so local ordinances don't apply. Higbee Beach in Cape May was once a nude beach, but nudity was officially prohibited in 2000.

* A canal runs from Cape May's harbor to the Delaware Bay, making Cape May, technically, an island.

Here's a gallery of folks enjoying New Jersey's shore. And here are some other galleries you might be interested in:

Vintage photos of the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer in N.J.

Vintage photos of wet 'n wild summer fun in N.J.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

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Teachers could miss out on as much as $12,000 if they aren't paid in July and August, according to a union leader.

NEWARK -- A New Jersey charter school ordered to shut down at the end of June may close its doors without paying the final two months of teachers' salaries, state and local union leaders say.

Teachers at Merit Preparatory Charter School in Newark are not unionized and have individual employment contracts stipulating they work during the 10-month school year and have their paychecks spread out over the 12-month calendar year, according to the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey chapter.

Some of those teachers' contracts began in September 2016 and run through August 2017, with as much as $12,000 per teacher scheduled to be paid over July and August, the union said. 

The school, however, has informed teachers they will not receive their scheduled paychecks in July and August after it closes on June 30, a breach of teacher's contracts, said John Abeigon, president of the Newark Teachers Union. 

"The bottom line is these people are employees in the state of New Jersey, they worked and they are owed and entitled to this money," said Abeigon, who along with the AFT-NJ is helping the teachers try to secure their full pay though they are not union members. 

Why 4 charter schools will close

Michael Cosack, chair of Merit Prep's governing board, insisted teachers will be paid all money they are contractually owed, despite the unions' claims. 

"We love our teachers," Cosack told NJ Advance Media. "We would like to give them as much money as we can to reward them for the work that they have done." 

Cosack could not explain how teachers will receive the July and August payments, though, and referred specific questions about compensation to Lee Nunery, an independent trustee assigned to oversee the school's closing. Nunery referred questions to the board's attorney, who did not return calls seeking comment. 

Matchbook Learning, the non-profit management group that runs the school, did not respond to a request for comment. 

School documents obtained by NJ Advance Media, including a teacher contract, termination letter and email from the school principal, confirm that Merit Prep informed teachers they will not receive pay after June 30.

The charter school is considering giving teachers a retention stipend, a form of bonus described as "a percentage of their current gross annual salary," according to the documents. However, teachers would not be eligible for the stipend if they missed more than two days or work after March 27, according to the documents.

The documents do not specify how much the stipend would be, and Cosack would not say if the stipends would be equal to what teachers would have received in their July and August paychecks. 

Even though the school is closing, it's still required to pay teachers for the time they have already worked, said Robert Smith, an employment lawyer who reviewed a Merit Prep teacher contract and termination letter at NJ Advance Media's request. 

"I would take the position that these people are entitled to the balance of their compensation," Smith said. 

Merit Prep opened in 2012 and has about 381 students in grades 6-9, according to state data. It employed about 40-45 teachers at the start of this school year, according to the AFT-NJ. 

In March, the state Department of Education ordered the school to shut down on June 30, citing Merit Prep's poor standardized test scores, which are among the state's lowest. 

The school's teachers were subsequently told they would not be paid in July and August and turned to the Newark Teachers Union for help because they had no other recourse, Abeigon said. 

The case underscores a lack of accountability in charter schools run by outside management companies, said Nat Bender, the AFT-NJ's spokesman. 

"If they do not pay the teachers what they have earned, who is responsible?" Bender asked. 

Earlier this month, AFT-NJ president Donna Chiera sent a letter to acting state Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington asking the state to compel Merit Prep to pay its teachers. 

"Legal action action against Matchbook Learning could be costly and at (teachers') own expense," Chiera wrote. "They reached out to us seeking assistance through a channel where they could voice concerns without fear of retaliation." 

The Department of Education received the letter but declined to comment on the contracts at Merit Prep.  

A charter school closed by the state is still obligated to make any outstanding payments to vendors or staff as required in its contracts, spokesman Mike Yaple said. 

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The man was part of a drug-trafficking ring before being arrested in 2015.

NEWARK -- An Irvington man who distributed who distributed crack and powder cocaine was sentenced Wednesday to nine years in federal prison.

Kenneth Hammond, 49, had pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine while supervising a drug-trafficking organization made up of multiple associates, acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick said in a statement.

In November 2015, authorities raided Hammond's two residences, which were used to distribute the drugs, and seized more than 4 pounds of crack cocaine and 26 pounds of powder cocaine, according to officials. 

Hammond was also sentenced to five years of supervised release.

Also part of the drug-trafficking ring, 44-year-old Antonio Bivens, of Irvington, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Newark man was arrested after a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon.

NEWARK -- What started as a typical traffic stop ended in the arrest of a city man with about $130,000 worth of drugs, and four handguns, police said.

Goldblatt. (Courtesy Newark police)

Michael Goldblatt, 34, was driving near South and Mulberry streets at 12:50 p.m. Wednesday when Special Enforcement Bureau detectives saw him commit an unspecified motor vehicle violation, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose and acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino said in a release Thursday.

Inside Goldblatt's car, authorities found 77 bottles of liquid THC, or hashish, and nine pounds of marijuana, officials said. During a subsequent search of the man's Astor Place home, police said they found 30 more pounds of marijuana, four handguns, and $34,000 in cash.

Altogether, the drugs confiscated had a street value of more than $130,000, police said.

Goldblatt was arrested on a slew of drug and weapons charges, authorities said.

In a statement, Ambrose credited the police department's partnership with the prosecutor's office with the arrest.

"Through a joint effort with the Essex County Prosecutor's Office we were able to arrest a Michael Goldblatt, seize four guns and confiscate approximately $160,000 in cash and illegal drugs from our streets," he said.

Police could not immediately say what the traffic infraction was that initially alerted detectives to Goldblatt's car.

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

NEWARK -- An exhibit titled "Risking Life and Lens: A Photographic Memoir" will be on display at the New Jersey Historical Society in Newark through August 26. Social documentary photographer Helen Stummer's photos, which were taken in Manhattan's Lower East Side from 1976 to 1981 and in Newark from 1980 to 2013, document the residents' struggles with education, health, housing...

Helen Stummer's exhibit, "Risking Life and Lens: A Photographic Memoir" will be on view at the New Jersey Historical Society in Newark through Aug. 26. 

NEWARK -- An exhibit titled "Risking Life and Lens: A Photographic Memoir" will be on display at the New Jersey Historical Society in Newark through August 26.

Social documentary photographer Helen Stummer's photos, which were taken in Manhattan's Lower East Side from 1976 to 1981 and in Newark from 1980 to 2013, document the residents' struggles with education, health, housing and crime.

The exhibit is free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Historical Society at 52 Park Place in Newark. For more information, call 973-596-8500.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Authorities said the gun had been stolen in Old Bridge in 2012.

NEWARK -- Essex County sheriff's officers on Wednesday night arrested two men on drug and gun charges after a traffic stop at a park in East Orange turned up a stolen .40-caliber handgun, authorities said.

Devonne Caldwell (left) and Aljamu Goines. (Essex County Correctional Facility)
 

Devonne Caldwell, 20, of East Orange, and Aljamu Goines, 22, of Newark, have both been charged with unlawfully possessing a weapon, receiving stolen property and possessing a controlled dangerous substance, according to a statement from Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

Fontoura said officers stopped the two men at Monte Irvin Park when they saw a 2017 Nissan Altima pass them on Oakwood Avenue, and noticed neither the driver or passenger were wearing seatbelts.

After the officers smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle when they approached, they questioned Caldwell, who readily admitted there was a ziplock bag of the drug in the car's center console, he said.

When they tried to search the car further, Fontoura said, Goines slammed the car's glove compartment closed, and officers removed him from the car.

Inside the glove compartment, officers found a loaded .40-caliber Sig-Sauer handgun that had been stolen during a home burglary in Old Bridge in August 2012, the sheriff said.

Both men, who also face multiple summonses for motor vehicle violations, were lodged in the Essex County Correctional Facility pending a bail hearing.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.