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Linden businessman admits overcharging agencies, feds say

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Robert Datillo pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud against a number of public agencies.

TRENTON -- It may not be the best idea to sell low-grade or "reject" industrial products to the New York Department of Corrections, but that's what a part-owner of a Linden industrial and commercial supplies company admitted in federal court Thursday. 

Robert R. Dattilo, 61, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan that his company, Bayway Lumber, not only sold inferior products to the city corrections department, but also took advantage of hospitals, local governments, the New York Transit Authority, Con Edison and other agencies, according to court records. 

The U.S. Attorney's Office for New Jersey said the fraud in all totaled more than $708,000. 

From 2007 through last November, Dattilo conspired with others -- including employees from the agencies that were being overcharged -- to fraudulently bill for products. In some cases, court records show, the agencies were charged for more products than they received. In others, they were given lower-quality products that were covered up. 

N.J. stock promoter admits to 'pump and dump' scheme

According to court papers, employees at Amtrak and an unidentified Bergen County business accepted Yankees tickets, computer equipment, a camera and other gifts. In return, they made sure Bayway was able to get reimbursed for more than they supplied in their contracts, covering the cost of the "gifts." 

Sometimes, the markup was 200 to 300 percent, court papers said.

Court records also state that Bayway, at Datillo's direction, bought items for the Plainfield Board of Education and recovered the cost of the items, and more, in subsequent contracts. 

Representatives from the Plainfield Board of Education and Amtrak were not immediately available for comment. 

Court records show Datillo kept a running tally of the gifts and what was owed, calling the ledger "the bank."

In other examples, Bayway sometimes manually altered invoices to bill higher prices to the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and its successors, Rutgers University and University Hospital; charged the transit authority for the most expensive doors, frames and hardware although it provided less-expensive items; and covered up lower-quality lumber to the Philadelphia Housing Authority, Con Edison, the corrections department and the city of Newark, the U.S. Attorney's office said. 

The maximum sentence for Datillo's guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

He also may be required to make restitution when he is sentenced May 23. 

Tim Darragh may be reached at tdarragh@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @timdarragh. Find NJ.com on Facebook.


Decision stands: Ex-cop guilty of stealing $70 from crime scene

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A former Essex County Sheriff's officer, George Ruiz, 49, formerly of Belleville, was convicted of official misconduct in 2013

carousel-essex-sheriffs-officer-george-ruiz.jpgGeorge Ruiz, 49, a former Essex County Sheriff's officer, was convicted of official misconduct for stealing $70 from a crime scene. A state appeals court has affirmed his conviction. (File photo) 

NEWARK -- Nearly a year after being released from state prison, a former Essex County Sheriff's officer on Thursday lost an appeal of his official misconduct conviction for stealing $70 from a crime scene in 2011.

A state appellate panel upheld the conviction of George Ruiz and rejected his arguments about alleged errors during his 2013 trial. Ruiz served in the Essex County Sheriff's Office for 12 years.

Ruiz, 49, formerly of Belleville, was sentenced on May 3, 2013 to three years in state prison and he had to serve two years before becoming eligible for parole. Ruiz received credit for time served and he was released from custody on March 13, 2015, according to the New Jersey Department of Corrections.

The incident occurred on March 3, 2011 at an apartment on Myrtle Avenue in Irvington, where authorities executed a search warrant as part of a drug investigation.

During the search, authorities found $70 in a bedroom closet consisting of two $20 bills and three $10 bills, according to the appellate decision. The bills were folded in half and then folded a second time, the decision states.

Soon after, Ruiz, then a K-9 officer, arrived at the scene with his search dog and was directed to search the bedroom for drugs, the decision states. But after Ruiz and the dog had been alone in the bedroom, authorities discovered the money was missing, the decision states.

When all of the officers at the scene were later searched, authorities found $70 on Ruiz in the same denominations and folded in the same way as the bills previously seen in the bedroom closet, according to the appellate decision.

At his trial, Ruiz asserted that he never entered the bedroom closet and claimed the $70 found on him was change from a purchase of lottery tickets that he had made, the decision states.

The bills in question were not retained as evidence, because the money was deposited into the State's forfeiture fund, the decision states.

As part of his appeal, Ruiz argued the trial judge should have instructed jurors that they could draw an inference against the state about what the lost evidence would have shown.

But the appeals court rejected that argument, saying "the State's failure to retain the bills did not violate defendant's due process rights, and the trial judge did not err in declining to give an adverse inference charge."

The appellate panel also dismissed Ruiz's argument about comments made on the witness stand by a police officer, identified in the decision as "Lieutenant Francis," who had initially found the $70 in the bedroom closet and then discovered it missing, the decision states.

During a heated exchange with Ruiz's attorney, Francis said twice that Ruiz "stole the money," the decision states. The attorney did not object to either statement, the decision states.

In his appeal, Ruiz claimed Francis improperly offered his opinion about Ruiz's guilt. The appeals court agreed that the testimony was improper, but found no error in the judge's failure to strike Francis's two spontaneous statements.

"It is clear to us that defense counsel was trying to portray Francis as a dishonest witness who may have taken the money himself," the decision states. "In that context, Francis's spontaneous exclamations could have furthered the defense strategy, and we infer that defendant's attorney intentionally refrained from making an objection.

"In any event, on this record we are not persuaded that the statements had a clear capacity to produce an unjust result."

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

Somerset County's new prosecutor served under Gov. Christie

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Somerset County's new prosecutor spent eight years as an assistant U.S. Attorney out of Newark.

SOMERVILLE -- New Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson brings a wealth of experience to his new job, including stints as an assistant U.S. Attorney working in the Health Care Fraud Unit, Organized Crime and Gangs Unit and the Violent Crimes Unit.

Robertson, who will replace Geoffrey Soriano, spent the past eight years as an assistant U.S. Attorney working out of the Newark office. He joined the U.S. Attorney's office while Gov. Chris Christie was still overseeing the office as chief federal law enforcement officer in New Jersey.

Prior to that, Robertson was an assistant prosecutor in the Essex County Prosecutor's Office for three years. He will take office in Somerset County on March 7, according to the governor's office.

Soriano was a municipal prosecutor in Branchburg before Gov. Chris Christie appointed him as Somerset County prosecutor in 2010.  

"Mike has been an exemplary assistant U.S. Attorney for the past eight years and this is a wonderful opportunity for him to continue his terrific commitment to public service," U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said Thursday. "The appointment reflects not just the justifiable confidence in Mike's ability to lead an important law enforcement organization, but also the recognition of the deep talent pool and professionalism that characterizes this office and its alumni."

Sheridan case criticism leads to ouster of Soriano

Robertson, a Basking Ridge resident, earned a bachelor of science degree in the Administration of Justice from Penn State University in 1999 and received a Doctor of Law degree from Hofstra University on Long Island in 2002.

After working as a Superior Court law clerk in Somerville for a year, he spent one and a half years in private practice before joining the Essex County Prosecutor's Office in 2005.

While working as an assistant U.S. Attorney some of the cases Robertson prosecuted are as follows:

* In February 2015, Robertson prosecuted a case in which a Bayonne man who was a licensed Jersey City pediatrician fraudulently billed Medicaid for $196,911 for more than 1,000 wound repairs he never performed.

Badawy M. Badawy pleaded guilty to health care fraud. He owned and operated Sinai Medical Center of Jersey City, LLC, a medical practice focusing on pediatric and family medicine.

* In March 2014, Robertson prosecuted a case in which a Newark man was sentenced to 57 months in prison for his role in a scheme that involved a postal carrier lifting blank checks from victim's mail and passing them to a group of conspirators who converted them into hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.

Karron Hinton-Lovelace, one of the conspirators, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in the case. As part of his plea agreement, Hinton-Lovelace agreed to pay $648,194 in restitution to victims.

The conspirators charged in the case -- which did not include the mail carrier -- were able to deposit nearly $1.5 million in fraudulent checks stolen from 122 victims into 258 bank accounts. The result was $648,194 in losses to victims.

* In October 2015, Robertson prosecuted a case in which the owners of a Monmouth marketing and sales company admitted paying approximately $25,000 in cash bribes to a New Jersey physician in return for patient referrals to their clients.

Daniel Gilman, 62, of Ocean Grove and Kenneth Robberson, 46, of Wall pleaded guilty to separate informations charging them each with one count of conspiracy to pay kickbacks.

* Also in March 2014, Robertson prosecuted a case in which one of the operators of Clevett Worldwide Mailers LLC, a Succasunna bulk mailing house, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for defrauding clients of more than $1 million through a fraudulent bulk-mailing scheme in which he shredded millions of pieces of mail rather than delivering them.

Harold Clevett, 68, of Middlesex, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Take this week's NJ.com news quiz

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You've seen all of these stories on NJ.com during the past week.

Time to see how well you recall the biggest local news stories from the past week. Answer the seven multiple-choice questions below, and then tell everyone how well you did in comments.

If you have a clunker this week, don't worry: There's a fresh NJ.com news quiz every Thursday evening.

John Shabe can be reached via jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter and find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Look out! It's the Love Mob spreading joy in Hillside

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The First Baptist Church of Hillside is also known as the "Love Mob," a congregation that supports local businesses when church members spend $5,000 or close to it. If not, then they've cleaned out the place.

The line of customers was so long that it doubled back across the floral shop on Maple Avenue in Hillside.

Little by little, the shelves at Fresh & Pretty were emptying and the inventory in the back was nearly gone as the minute hand on the clock pushed past an hour.

Queen King, the owner of the shop, and her employees were trying to keep up. But as fast as they prepared Valentine's Day arrangements on Sunday -poof - the merchandise was purchased and on its way out the door.

"They worked me good,'' King said. "I'm overwhelmed.''

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns  

This is what the "Love Mob" does to support small business owners in the town where they are members of First Baptist Church of Hillside.

"The whole point is to give ourselves away and support the vision of the local entrepreneur,'' said Rev. Christopher Michael Jones, pastor of the church.

And this is how they do it -- with the catchy "Love Mob" name that says they care and that they want to give back to the community.

The plan is for the 500-member church to pick a business to patronize one Sunday each month of this year. Businesses are told in advance, because church members come in waves after worship service and don't stop spending until the cash register hits $5,000 or close to it. If not, then the've cleaned out the place.

Last month, the spendfest was a hit when it started at Lillian's Soul Restaurant. The  church members bought so many dinners that she ran out of an entire case of collard greens.

"They bought quite a bit of food,'' said owner Lillian Taylor. "I was overwhelmed ... to see everybody come.''

There's  that word again - overwhelmed.

Anywhere from 200 to 300 church members stood in a line that stretched along the sidewalk and into her restaurant, a small and mostly take-out business that opened in September.

At Fresh & Pretty, which is down the street from Lillian's, about 150 church members squeezed into the store, a business familiar to the neighborhood for nearly 30 years, on Valentine's Day.

Had the weather been kinder, Jones said, more members would have easily racked up $5,000 in sales. The big chill scaled it down to a frosty $3,000 from church members who didn't mind waiting at all. 

They agreed with the purpose of the project, which Jones suggested after a series of sermons about how the modern church should be involved in the community.

The sermons, Jones said, were focused on scriptures from the book of Acts in the New Testament, which show the church giving  unselfishly outside of its walls.

"What I proposed was: Wouldn't it be awesome if we were going to be the true church of Acts, to give ourselves away rather than spend our money on ourselves,'' Jones said. "Wouldn't it be awesome to live this out, to be so selfless that we would be willing to share all that we  have, not just with ourselves, but with people in the community that we don't even  know.''

This movement is not meant to be just a one-day economic jolt. The church hopes the effort will stimulate the local economy and familiarize Hillside residents with businesses right in their backyard.

"If we don't support them, who else is going to support them?'' asked Christine Olds, a church member and Hillside resident. "You're so used to going to the big stuff. This gives me a chance to revisit Hillside and see what's really here.''

MORE CARTER: N.J. Muslim fencer at the tipping point of Olympic history

Shantel Wade knows how valuable this campaign is to business owners. She owned a candy store for three years in Hillside, but had to close because she couldn't make it.

"Owning a business is hard,'' Wade said. "Something like this does wonders for a business in one day.''

Church members did a number at the floral shop. And even though King knew they were coming, she still was taken aback when the members showed up. It was a sight to see -- people with an armful of flowers, balloons, teddy bears and roses -- buying up just about everything she had.

They bought for loved ones, or for elderly residents who don't get out much. Jones went to other businesses on the block and gave flowers to nearby owners, who where shocked by the unexpected kindness.

Next year, Jones said, the church plans to build on this momentum by helping a business get started every quarter, with seed money from the church.

"We have to get back to investing in others,'' he said.

It's not a surprise to Mayor Angela R. Garretson, who said the church has a huge heart and is a model for service that everyone can embrace. 

"This is just a true testament of what it means to be a true servant in the community,'' Garretson said.

Meanwhile, what church members have done in the short term has already benefited Lillian's. Taylor installed a larger, vibrant red and white awning, and paid off some bills.

As for King, she was just so appreciative, telling Jones how grateful she was for the church's support.

"This was so good,'' she said. "They are truly family.''

Barbershops and salons in town are about to find out the same thing. On the Saturday before Easter, the church will rent out their spots for haircuts to the first 100 boys;100 girls; 100 single, unemployed mothers; and 100 fathers who are in transitional housing or newly released from prison.

That's a lot of love, and there are no strings attached.

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

Newark official: Roselle team 'equally responsible' for wild girls hoops brawl

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Fight last week resulted in six Roselle players seeking treatment at hospital

Fight last week resulted in six Roselle players seeking treatment at hospital

Adult cat needs a new home

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Fluffy lost her home when her owners said they could no longer care for her.

ex0221pet.jpgFluffy 

MONTCLAIR -- Fluffy is an 8-year-old cat in the care of PAWS Montclair who lost her home when her owners said they could no longer care for her.

According to PAWS personnel, Fluffy is confused since the upheaval and a bit shy, but she warms up quickly and should make a good pet in any home. She has been spayed, is FIV/FeLV negative and up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Fluffy, call 973-746-5212 or go to pawsmontclair.org. PAWS is a nonprofit rescue group serving the Montclair area, currently caring for more than 100 cats and 10 dogs.

Shelters interested in placing a pet in the Paw Print adoption column or submitting news should call 973-836-4922 or email essex@starledger.com.

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

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4 companies working at fatal crane accident have history of safety violations

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A generator being hoisted by a crane fell onto two workers when a strap gave way, Hanover Township Mayor Ronald Francioli said.

HANOVER -- Four of the companies performing work at the site of the new Hanover firehouse where two workers were killed by a five-ton generator that fell Thursday have each been cited for serious safety violations in the past seven years.

A generator being hoisted by a crane fell onto two workers when a strap gave way, Hanover Township Mayor Ronald Francioli said. A man in his 20s was pronounced dead at the scene, but a second man was taken to Morristown Medical Center in critical condition where he later died. The first worker killed in the accident was the son-in-law of the crane operator, the mayor said.

Records with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration show Precision Building and Construction, the general contractor, had two serious violations over a fall incident in Aug. 2009, which it settled for a penalty of $2,100. Precision Building and Construction is a non-union company based out of Bridgewater.

City Erectors, the West Caldwell-based operator of the crane, was issued a serious struck-by object violation in Aug. 2009 for which it paid $450, OSHA records show.

A complaint was also lodged against the company in 2007 for an alleged struck-by object incident but OSHA records don't indicate whether a penalty was assessed in that incident. City Erectors is also a non-union company.

Boz Electrical Contractors, a union company out of Vernon, was most recently cited in March 2013 for two unsafe wiring design and protection violations, for which it paid $6,500, OSHA records show. Those infractions were considered both serious and repeat violations by OSHA.

The worker who was critically injured in the accident and later died at Morristown Medical Center worked for Boz Electrical Contractors, according to OSHA.

Boz Electrical was also cited for two serious violations relating to fall and electrical hazards in connection with an incident that occurred in May 2010. The company settled those violations for $2,625.

Industrial Process and Equipment, Inc., a non-union company out of Sussex, was fined $2,100 for endangering employees by exposing them to crushing hazards in connection with an incident in Oct. 2012. IPE, Inc. is the company at which the first man to die in Thursday's accident worked.

Groundbreaking for the new firehouse took place in February 2015, and, as of a December news release, the site was expected to be complete by the spring.

Calls placed with Precision Building and Construction, City Erectors, Boz Electrical and Industrial Process and Equipment Thursday have not yet been returned.

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


Poll: Are today's student athletes too sensitive to coaches' 'bullying'?

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An ex-Columbia High School baseball player sued his former coaches for what he says was bullying and retaliation, but some NJ.com readers say it was just good coaching.

Columbia High School.jpgColumbia High School. (Bill Wichert | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

MAPLEWOOD -- A high school varsity baseball coach calls his players "losers." He curses at them, and makes comments that some students see as vulgar and sexist.

Motivational, or inappropriate?

That's the question at the center of a lawsuit filed last week by a former player on the Columbia High School baseball team against his ex-coaches, the school, the district, and its administrators.

In the suit, David DeFranco claims his baseball coaches bullied him and other members of the team, and that the treatment only got worse after he spoke up about it.

NJ.com readers were split on whether or not DeFranco was making a valid point about the culture of youth sports in New Jersey.

"If you grew up in the 60's or 70's this was normal behavior for most coaches," user damt wrote. Others suggested that sports are about mental, as well as physical, endurance, and coaches sometimes are "tough" on players to produce results.

Some suggested New Jersey's anti-bullying law is spurring unnecessary lawsuits.

"It's unfortunate that good people who try to do the right thing are getting witch-hunted by lawsuit and the 'HIB bandwagon,'" sportsfan wrote. "Too many people are jumping on when things don't go their way -- they don't get playing time," etc.

Others, however, felt that if the allegations DeFranco made are true - including one about a sign the coaches hung up in the locker room referencing groups of "losers" who complain about their coaches - they went too far.

"The loser/winner sign the coaches put up is pathetic" survivedthereignofterror1 wrote. "To put it up after being accused of bullying tactics. Just stupid. Speaks to their mentality."

The coaches have previously denied inappropriate behavior, and other parents and students in the district have accused the DeFrancos and others who spoke out against the team as being frustrated over their kids' playing time and a losing season.

The district issued a statement in response to the lawsuit saying it is in the midst of revising its athletic program policies.

"The health, safety and wellbeing of all of our students - whether in the classroom, or on the field of play - is our highest priority," the school said.

The controversy has us wondering - who would you side with? Do you think the ex-student is too sensitive, or are the coaches' alleged actions too harsh?

Vote in the poll below and share your thoughts in the comments section.

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

Newark police arrest 10 alleged 'Johns' in undercover prostitution sting

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The men were allegedly observed by police soliciting prostitution services along the Frelinghuysen Avenue corridor, police said.

police lights file photo.jpg(File photo) 

NEWARK -- An undercover police investigation conducted in the city's South Ward Thursday night netted 10 men on prostitution-related charges, officials said Friday.

The men, many of whom officials said reside in and around Newark, were allegedly observed soliciting services from police officers posing as prostitutes.

The investigation was prompted by complaints from local residents of prostitution in areas along along the Frelinghuysen Avenue corridor, said Newark Police Department spokesman Det. Hubert Henderson.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/02/south_carolina_fugitive_arrested_in_newark.html

"This type behavior won't be tolerated," said Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose. "I will continue to respond to such complaints and target the types of activities that denigrate the quality of life in our communities." 

The operation, which lasted several hours, resulted in the towing of suspects' vehicles and the arrest of the following:

  • William A Guerrero, 20, Kearney
  • Kingsley Wara, 42, Edinburg
  • Craig A. Donnel, 40, Newark
  • Saline Collins, 28, Newark
  • Fernando Ortiz Brown, 38, Newark
  • Jose Dios, 62, Harrison
  • Zafarlah Butisingh, 41, Lake Hiawatha
  • Andres M. Muniz-Santos, 30, Carteret
  • Mario Zamora, 34, Flemington
  • Sean Camacho, 42, Maplewood

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

7 burning questions about Roselle-American History hoops fan-player brawl

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Clarifying and explaining what's still murky about last week's wild incident.

Clarifying and explaining what's still not clear about last week's wild incident.

Paper Mill to mount new musical based on Whitney Houston's 'The Bodyguard'

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The show, which premiered in London in 2012, gets its first U.S. staging at the Millburn theater this fall Watch video

A new musical based on the Whitney Houston-Kevin Costner romance "The Bodyguard" is the buzziest title set to be presented by the Millburn-based Paper Mill Playhouse in its 2016-2017 season.

Other shows in the line-up announced Friday include such venerable favorites as "The Producers" and "Mary Poppins," as well as Ken Ludwig's "A Comedy of Tenors," a sequel to his famed "Lend Me a Tenor."

Written by Alexander Dinelaris (one of the co-writers of "Birdman"), "The Bodyguard" features both songs from the film, such as "I Will Always Love You" and "Run to You," as well as other Houston classics including "How Will I Know?" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody." The musical had its world premiere in London's West End in 2012, where it received generally favorable reviews. (The Daily Telegraph, apparently not big fans of the original movie, wrote that it was "proof that if you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, you can sometimes come surprisingly close.")

In the Houston role, the Paper Mill production will star singer Deborah Cox, who provided the vocals for Lifetime's Whitey Houston biopic last year. Casting for the title part played by Kevin Costner in the film has yet to be announced.

The Paper Mill production will take place Nov. 25 to Jan. 1, 2017. It's the show's first stop on a North American tour.

The Paper Mill's season will kick off with Mel Brooks' "The Producers" (Sept. 23 to Oct. 3) featuring the original direction and choreography of Susan Strohman. The other shows announced were: "A Comedy of Tenors," which had its world premiere last year at Princeton's McCarter Theatre (Feb. 1 to Feb. 26, 2017); the jukebox musical "Million Dollar Quartet" (March 29 to April 23, 2017); and "Mary Poppins" (May 24 to June 25, 2017).

Compared to recent seasons, which have featured such high-profile titles as the Broadway-bound "The Bandstand," the Tony Danza-starring "Honeymoon in Vegas," and the current "A Bronx Tale" musical, this next season looks a little light on new work. But in a statement accompanying the announcement the theater's producing artistic director, Mark S. Hoebee, sounded particularly bullish on "The Bodyguard"

"Each time Paper Mill Playhouse has produced a show that has a life beyond our theater, it brings great pride to the people of our state," he said.

Subscription packages are available for sale now, from $107. Single tickets go on sale in August. 973-376-4343; www.papermill.org

Christopher Kelly may be reached at ckelly@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chriskelly74. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

 

Worker from Irvington in critical condition after fall at job site

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Worker in critical condition, report says

hackensack helicopter(File photo) 

OLD TAPPAN -- A construction worker from Irvington was hospitalized with serious injuries after he fell from the roof of a house on Kristin Place Friday morning, The Record reported.

Police identified the injured worker as German Tamay Caguana, 40, according to the newspaper. He was working on the roof when he fell shortly after 10 a.m.

Caguana was flown to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition, police said.

An investigation is ongoing.

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

Newark TSA agent caught swiping $1K watch from passenger's bag, cops say

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The expensive watch was going through the screening when the agent allegedly put the watch in his pocket, officials said.

NEWARK -- A TSA agent was arrested this week after allegedly stealing a $1,000 watch from a passenger's bag that was going through a security screening, officials confirmed Friday.

At about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, police say witnesses allegedly saw Daniel Ortiz, Jr., 39, remove the watch from a passenger's bag during the screening process, and place it into his pocket. Ortiz, of Woodland Park, was on duty as a Transportation Security Administration officer at Newark Liberty International Airport at the time, police said.

ortizshield.pngOrtiz. (Courtesy Port Authority Police Department)
 

Authorities recovered the silver watch - a Michele Deco worth about $1,000 - from the pants pocket of Ortiz's uniform, Port Authority police spokesman Joseph Pentangelo confirmed.

He was arrested and is due in court in Elizabeth on March 2, authorities said.

Last month, a TSA agent was allegedly caught driving drunk outside Newark airport, and in September of last year, a TSA agent was arrested after stealing cash from a passenger's luggage at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

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

See how much school aid Christie would give your district

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Every school district would get more money under Gov. Christie's budget proposal, but some more than others.

TRENTON- Nearly 300 New Jersey school districts would receive less than a 1 percent increase in state aid for the upcoming year, according to state figures released Friday from Gov. Chris Christie's budget proposal. 

Though Christie's 2017 budget would give every district at least some additional funding, 10 districts would get an increase fewer than $1,000. Allenhurst would receive the smallest dollar increase ($177), while Keansburg would see the smallest percentage increase (.04 percent).

Christie's administration touted the proposed budget because it represents a record-high $13 billion investment in education.

"As more revenue becomes available, the administration is continuing to provide the highest levels of school funding," state Education Commissioner David Hespe said. "This speaks volumes about the priorities of this administration."

Two of the state's districts facing budget problems, Atlantic City and Newark, would receive special funding.

Christie proposes giving Atlantic City schools a $33 million increase, including $32 million to combat the district's falling commercial property values. 

Newark Public Schools would receive $26.7 million more than last year, including an extra $22 million to offset money being paid to city charter schools. 

The proposed special aid to Newark comes after state-appointed Newark schools Superintendent Chris Cerf wrote an "urgent" letter to Christie on Feb. 1 asking for help. The district would have faced a $72 million structural deficit if it received flat state funding, Cerf wrote. 

Overall, Christie is proposing a 4 percent increase in education funding, though most of the new spending would go toward pension and debt payments or other costs. New Jersey would provide $94.3 million more in direct support to schools, about a 1 percent increase over the current school year. 

The budget is based on New Jersey's school funding formula passed by state lawmakers in 2008. Though the schools are not fully funded, Christie's proposed budget acknowledges enrollment swings or other changes in schools that warrant more or less funding -- factors that were not considered in some of his previous budgets. 

Use the search tool below to see how much aid Christie is proposing to give your school district.  

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

 

Accused 'nanny-cam' attacker can't keep bloody jeans out of trial

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Shawn Custis, 45, of Newark, lost a motion to stop prosecutors at his trial from presenting evidence that police seized jeans belonging to him that allegedly contains the victim's blood Watch video

NEWARK — At his trial on charges of beating a Millburn woman in a 2013 home invasion attack caught on a "nanny-cam," prosecutors may present evidence that police seized a pair of jeans belonging to Shawn Custis that allegedly contains the victim's blood, a judge has ruled.

Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler issued that ruling on Friday when he denied Custis's motion to suppress the evidence in connection with the June 21, 2013 incident. Authorities have said a DNA analysis of the jeans shows the victim's blood was on the jeans.

A week after the incident, the jeans and other clothing items were seized at the New York City apartment of Custis's then-girlfriend, Monita Johnson, after Custis had been arrested while leaving the apartment building.

In denying the motion, the judge found Johnson "knowingly and voluntarily consented" to a search of the residence before police seized the clothing, and he rejected Custis's arguments that police conducted an illegal search.

Custis, 45, of Newark — who has a lengthy criminal record — is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, robbery, burglary, criminal restraint and theft.

After breaking into the victim's house, Custis kicked, punched and threw the woman down the basement stairs as her three-year-old daughter sat on the living-room couch, authorities said. Her 18-month-old son was asleep in an upstairs bedroom, authorities said. Custis also stole various jewelry items and a cell phone from the residence, authorities said.

Authorities later tracked a cell phone belonging to Custis to Johnson's apartment on 10th Avenue in Manhattan.

Custis's trial is expected to start in the coming months.

The motion to suppress was based in part on the conflicting accounts provided by Johnson and Sgt. Chris Smith of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office about what happened inside the apartment on June 28, 2013.

At a hearing on Wednesday, Smith testified that, after Custis had been arrested, he and an FBI agent visited the apartment. Smith said Johnson allowed them to come inside and she indicated Custis had just left the apartment.

Smith said they asked Johnson whether Custis had brought any clothing to the apartment. When Johnson said he had, they asked her to show them the clothing, according to Smith.

After Johnson led them to the pile of clothing, Smith said they presented her with a consent form that permitted authorities to search the apartment and remove any items. Johnson signed the form and authorities seized the clothing, Smith said.

But when Johnson took the witness stand on Wednesday, she claimed police forced their way into the apartment and threatened to damage the residence if she didn't sign the consent form. Johnson said she did not lead authorities to the clothing.

During Friday's hearing, Custis's attorney, John McMahon, pointed to both accounts in arguing the clothing evidence should be suppressed.

McMahon argued Johnson's version means the evidence is inadmissible. He claimed she was telling the truth, saying "she appeared to be quite certain about what happened."

If the judge accepted Smith's version, McMahon suggested authorities conducted an illegal search by asking Johnson to lead them to the clothing before obtaining her consent to search the apartment. McMahon said Johnson signed the consent form "after the search has been completed."

McMahon argued prosecutors have not shown Johnson was aware of her "right to refuse" before leading the authorities to the clothing.

Referring to Smith's account, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Jamel Semper, who is handling the case, acknowledged during Friday's hearing that it would have been better for authorities to present the consent form before being led to the clothing.

But Semper argued the actions taken by authorities at the time were "still not unconstitutional," saying Johnson was cooperative and ultimately signed the consent form. Semper has claimed no search occurred before Johnson signed the form.

As for Johnson's version, Semper stressed how she gave a video-taped statement to police hours after the search was conducted and she did not say authorities forced their way into her apartment and threatened her. At that time, Johnson told police there were no conflicts when she consented to the search, according to Semper.

Semper said "there's nothing on that day, in her video-taped statement, in her written consent, that would suggest that she was coerced in any way."

In denying the motion, Wigler also pointed to Johnson's video-taped statement and said he did not find her testimony to be credible.

The judge said Smith's version was credible. Based on that version, Wigler determined Johnson voluntarily consented to the search in light of "the totality of the circumstances and Ms. Johnson's cooperativeness."

When she was presented with the consent form, "she certainly could have still refused and she did not refuse," Wigler said.

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

Agencies won't uphold ban on Uber, Lyft at Newark airport

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City prosecutor had issued ban on ride-share services for violations local law

NEWARK -- Officials announced Friday that they would not prevent ride-sharing firms from operating at Newark Liberty International Airport, days before a ban announced by the city prosecutor was due to take effect.

"All taxis and limos will be treated fairly and we will not single out Uber for violations only," Anthony Ambrose, Newark's public safety director, said Friday night.

RELATED: Newark to tow Uber drivers at airport

There would be no towing of vehicles or arrests until a meeting is held with the prosecutor, Evans C. Anyanwu, and the corporation counsel, Ambrose added.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, also said it would refrain from carrying out the prohibition on the services, which are seen as a threat by the city's medallioned cab drivers.

"We have received numerous inquiries over the past few days about the policy of this agency with regard to utilization of ridesharing firms such as Uber and Lyft at Newark Liberty International Airport.  The Port Authority Police Department will not take steps to prevent access to such services by passengers or others on the premises owned or leased by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey," the agency said.

Yet another agency, NJ Transit, said it too would refrain from ticketing Uber and Lyft drivers operating at Newark Penn Station and other hubs it oversees.

The announcements come as Uber New Jersey issued a plea to Anyanwu to reconsider its decision, which the company said would adversely affect thousands of travelers and drivers.

Last month Anyanwu sent a letter to Uber warning that the company was in violation of the city's taxi ordinances and that continued violations "would result in criminal and civil penalties" effective Feb. 22.

Ride-share services operating in the city have reduced business for traditional taxis by as much as 80 percent in Newark, according to unions and other organizations representing drivers.

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


See how much state aid is proposed for school districts in Essex County

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Gov. Chris Christie made a budget proposal earlier this week.

ESSEX COUNTY -- Gov. Chris Christie has proposed spending more than $13 billion in funding, including $548 million in new spending in his 2017 budget proposal. The proposal increases school spending by about 4 percent and every district would get an increase in funding from the previous year.

Across the state, proposed school aid amounts varied greatly by district.

Under the proposed amounts, every district in Essex County would receive an increase in funding over last school year. Over the past five years, Verona schools have received the highest increase in aid of any school in the county.

Here is a look at how Essex County schools would be funded under the proposal:

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

 

N.J. man admits to $4M scam involving stolen identity of Mets owner Jeff Wilpon

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Federal authorities say Michael Conway used fake agreements, including one with New York Mets owner Jeff Wilpon, to get investors. Watch video

NEW YORK -- A Verona man has admitted to a running a scam that tricked investors out of more than $4 million, which included trying to steal the identity of New York Mets owner Jeff Wilpon.

Michael Conway, 40, pleaded guilty on Thursday to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to dupe investors out of millions by forging lease agreements and using them to get financing, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of New York.

Conway admitted to creating fake lease agreements indicating that Choice Office Solutions LLC, where he is president, had lucrative contracts with more than 50 companies to lease office equipment.

A closer look at the scam to steal Wilpon's identity

Authorities said Conway then used those fraudulent lease agreements, including one with the New York Mets, to get the investors - a single person and De Lage Landen Financial Solutions Partner - to turn over to him more than $4 million.

Investigators learned Conway claimed to have lease agreements with about 58 companies, including law firms, universities, hospitals, and hotels. He also claimed to have a leasing agreement with the New York Mets, authorities said. He used that lease agreement and a forged authorization letter from the New York Mets purportedly signed by Wilpon to get financing from De Lage, according to the plea announcement by Eastern District U.S. Attorney Robert Capers and Diego Rodriguez, assistant director in charge of the FBI's New York field office.

Conway faces up to 20 years in prison and will be required to pay nearly $3.6 million in restitution to the individual investor and $1.2 million to De Lage, the release said. 

MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

3 arrested in connection with various Newark shootings

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All three suspects were captured Friday, officials said.

NPD Arrests 2.20.16Newark Police arrested Elaine Wheeler (left), Jihad Jones (center) and Assata Howell (right) Friday, officials said. (photos provided)

NEWARK -- City police have arrested three people for their participation in separate shooting incidents, officials said Friday.

Assata A. Howell, 23, now faces aggravated assault charges in connection with a January shooting in the Mt. Pleasant section of the city, said Newark Police Department spokesman Det. Hubert Henderson.

According to police, a physical confrontation between Howell and the victim allegedly led her to call several men to a home in the 300 block of Broadway. After arriving, the men allegedly shot the 19-year-old victim multiple times, officials said.

Elaine Wheeler, 55, was taken into custody Friday at a home on Clinton Avenue in Irvington, officials said. She is now being held on a bail of $100,000 for an aggravated shooting assault which occurred near a home in the 100 block of Gladstone Avenue last December, officials said.

Police also arrested Jihad A. Jones, 18, who officials said was wanted in connection with a February shooting in the 100 block of Frelinghuysen Avenue, officials said.

Additional details of the police investigations into each shooting incident were not immediately made available.

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

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