Officials say the veteran officer was attacked while escorting a jail detainee to the bathroom.

University Hospital-Newark (file photo)

NEWARK -- A veteran city police officer was severely injured in an alleged overnight escape attempt by an inmate receiving treatment at University Hospital, officials confirmed Friday.

The officer, whose name has not been released, was escorting a male inmate to the bathroom solo when the man began attacking her with his fists, said Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

An initial investigation into the incident indicates that the inmate, whose name has not been released, was attempting to escape, Ambrose said.

The full extent of the officer's injuries is unclear, but department sources speaking on the condition of anonymity said the officer suffered severe facial injuries.

The inmate was returned to police custody and could face charges in connection with the attack, Ambrose said. 

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2015/08/prisoner_slips_cop_custody_in_third_newark_hospita.html

The alleged escape attempt is the latest in string of similar incidents at University Hospital stretching back to 2015. 

Elijah Shabazz, 46, evaded police capture for more than a month after walking out of a guarded room at University Hospital in March 2015.

Three months later, Martin Sanchez, 34, walked out of the hospital undetected after receiving treatment.

And in August 2016, Michael Majette, 40, of East Orange ducked his police guards while receiving treatment at the hospital, escaping through a bathroom door. Both men were apprehended a short time after their respective escapes.

In the wake of Sanchez' escape, University Hospital and police authorities met to address "common concerns" and changes to prisoner custody procedures, a spokeswoman for the hospital confirmed.

Whether those inmate custody protocols failed in connection with the most recent incident was not immediately made clear. Asked about the circumstances that led to the incident, Ambrose said a full investigation of the incident by the Newark Police Department internal affairs unit is underway.

Following the incident, city police will begin the process of reviewing the department's inmate supervision protocols, he added.

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

The 6-acre Landmore estate built for the son of Thomas Edison includes a grand library, a solarium, nine fireplaces and a miniature stone castle for children — but the contents of a Thomas Edison museum in the basement is extra Watch video

Sometimes the contents of a house can be negotiated along with its sale. But if the new owner of 10 Lynwood Way doesn't want the books, papers, photographs and vintage miscellany in the basement, it will be donated. 

To the Smithsonian, perhaps. 

Also known as Landmore, the 6-acre estate on Lynwood in West Orange's Llewellyn Park was built for Charles Edison, a governor of New Jersey and the son of famed inventor Thomas Edison, and is now on the market for $5.9 million. Charles Edison transferred the contents of his father's private office to this house, and they've been passed along -- for a price -- to subsequent owners. 

Realtor Sam Joseph, who represents the house and, in fact, sold it to the current owner nearly a decade ago, says the price of the basement museum will be negotiated during attorney review.

Landmore is about half a mile from Glenmont, the Edison National Historic site, and nestled in gated Llewelyn Park, one of the first planned communities in America. The home was built in 1930 by Delano and Aldrich for Charles Edison, then the president of his father's corporation (which he ran until it was sold in 1959), and a decade away from his one term as New Jersey governor.

The 7-bedroom home spreads out over more than 10,000 square feet, and includes a grand library, a conservatory, a flower-cutting room, a wine cellar, nine fireplaces and an elevator, plus a pool, tennis court, barn and miniature stone castle on the grounds. Joseph says the castle includes a child-sized Bugatti and, he adds, deadpan, a child-sized tow-truck for when the Bugatti breaks down.

The 500-square-foot library, with three massive floor-to-ceiling windows, is lined with books from Thomas Edison's own stacks. "One day I was bored, and I opened a book, and it was like, 'To Mr. Edison, from Winston Churchill, one of your biggest admirers.' I just put it back on the shelf," Joseph says, his voice hushed. "It's that kind of place."

In 2007, Joseph oversaw the sale of the estate to the current owner, a bachelor Wall Streeter who grew up on Park Avenue and wanted a home with property, "a place for me and my dogs," the man told him. "So I meet him here," Joseph says, "and he buys it, and he brings his dog back the next week, and it was a chihuahua."  

Joseph strides through the home, casually pointing out the acacia leaf crown molding in the living room, the decorative silver leaf edging the velvet upholstered walls in the ladies' powder room, the silver closet (really a vintage safe the size of a generous refrigerator), the wood mosaic floor -- lest you think it's plebian parquet -- with each piece of wood six inches thick.

Down the back staircase -- "solid brass egg doorknobs" -- and across a timbered hallway is what Joseph calls the museum -- a long, narrow room containing Edison's desk, his typewriter and dictaphone, correspondence and other papers, photographs, his checkbook, various pieces of equipment, the time clock from one of his factories, and a cup full of his cigars, among other items.

By the door is a sign: "This room is equipped with Edison electric light. Do not attempt to light with match. Simply turn the key on the wall by the door." Even the floorboards were taken from his office, and they're installed with the original nails, copper so that the metal wouldn't interfere with his experiments.

"And nobody can see it," Joseph says, "but the owner of this house." 

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out TV Hangover, the podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or listen here.

Kelly's 340 straight days in space will be an American record Watch video

Former West Orange resident Scott Kelly plans to savor the final days of his nearly year-long stay in space.

Kelly, who returns to Earth on Tuesday after 340 days at the International Space Station, told CNN it seems longer than that.

"I've been up here for a really long time and sometimes, when I think about it, I feel like I've lived my whole life up here, " said Kelly, who has previously been a part of three other space missions.

It will take Kelly and Russian colleague Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov less than 3 1/2 hours to return in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Kelly will then take a charter flight from Kazakhstan to Houston. 

Doctors will be examining Kelly to see what effect his time 240 miles above the Earth has had on his physiological state. They'll compare and contrast his condition to his twin brother, former astronaut Mark Kelly.

Kelly's 340 straight days in space will be an American, but not a world record. Four Russians have each spend more than a year in space. 

He's been in regular contact with curious Earthlings via social media, frequently tweeting out photos that show his view.

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

Snow and ice make #Canada #EarthArt nice. #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/0EwUk8IY3A

-- Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) February 26, 2016

The West Orange man also agreed to make nearly $50 million in restitution.

Nine years ago, the world economy was about to melt down over the reckless trading and selling of bundles of debt, and Jonathan E. Rosenberg was in the middle of things. 

The West Orange man's firm, Account Receivable Services, bought discounted bundles of patient medical debt, planning to collect what the patients owed. Meanwhile, Rosenberg enticed individuals to invest in his company with promises of high interest returns in short time, court records show.

Investors gave more than $145 million to Rosenberg, but they didn't know that Rosenberg and his associates were not collecting nearly enough from those medical patients to cover what they owed, according to records.

According to Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein, they turned to an old strategy: the Ponzi scheme -- seeking out a non-stop line of new investors to make his investment strategy seem successful. 

Like all Ponzi schemes, Rosenberg's collapsed, and on Thursday, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in Maryland federal court, records show.

"Jonathan Rosenberg and his co-conspirators perpetrated a brazen and complex Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of more than $148 million," said Rosenstein in a statement. "The conspirators pretended that they were repaying investors with revenue earned by collecting patient debts, but they were really using the money of new victims to repay previous investors."

Rosenberg and partner Douglas Kuber operated the firm starting in 2007. According to Rosenstein's office, they entered into an agreement with International Portfolio, Inc. to promote the sale of its debt portfolio. 

The two companies used a trail of accountants and escrow accounts, and Account Receivable Services used falsified collection reports, to dupe investors, Rosenstein's office said. They also worked out a plan for International Portfolio to kick back funds to Rosenberg's company, it said.

The office said Rosenberg owned three other companies that recruited investors to buy International Portfolio's debt. In one transaction, it said, one of those firms promised a wealth management company a 30-percent return over 16 months.

The overall scheme collapsed in 2012 as debt and interest payments exceeded Rosenberg's ability to come up with new sources of funding. 

Rosenberg faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and agreed to pay $148.2 million in restitution. 

Kuber, 55, of Livingston, already pleaded guilty, also faces 20 years in prison and will be sentenced June 30, the office said.  

Robert Feldman, a co-owner of International Portfolio, also pleaded guilty and will be sentenced June. 2, it said. 

Feldman's partner, Richard Shusterman, 53, of Highland Beach, Fla., has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial, according to court records. 

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

Latina Byrd, 46, of Newark, pleaded guilty on Jan. 20 to a hindering charge for withholding a financial ledger during the theft investigation

NEWARK -- A Newark firefighter may seek to retract her guilty plea to a hindering charge for withholding a financial ledger while she was under investigation for allegedly stealing from her fellow firefighters, her attorney said on Friday.

On the day Latina Byrd was scheduled to be sentenced, her attorney, Mark Cheser, said during a court hearing that Byrd was considering whether to file a motion to withdraw her guilty plea.

Cheser, who began representing Byrd recently, told Superior Court Judge Peter Ryan that he needed to discuss the potential motion with Byrd.

"I believe there's grounds," Cheser told the judge. "The question is whether it's in her best interests."

Outside the courtroom afterward, Cheser declined further comment on the possible motion.

When she was scheduled to go on trial on a third-degree theft charge, Byrd, 46, of Newark, pleaded guilty on Jan. 20 to the disorderly persons offense. At the time, Byrd was represented by attorney Kendal Coleman.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors are recommending that Byrd be ordered to pay between $150 and $200 in fines and fees as her sentence, according to Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office.

The theft charge Byrd had been facing could have meant between three and five years in state prison if she was convicted at the trial.

Prosecutors also are seeking that Byrd be forced to forfeit her job and pay restitution, Carter said. Byrd had agreed to pay restitution, but the defense has claimed she should be able to keep her job, according to Carter.

During the sentencing hearing, Ryan was expected to hear oral arguments and rule on the forfeiture issue.

The case involves a fund Byrd was responsible for managing for firefighters at the Engine 19 firehouse on Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark, authorities said. Firefighters pooled together money in the fund to help pay for cable, supplies and other incidental expenses at the firehouse, authorities said.

When she pleaded guilty, Byrd admitted she concealed and did not turn over the fund's ledger when she was ordered to do so, authorities said.

As part of her plea agreement, Byrd admitted she knew, when she withheld the ledger, that she was being investigated for allegedly stealing between $200 and $500, authorities said.

Byrd did not admit to stealing any funds and only pleaded guilty to her refusal to turn over the ledger, Carter said.

Authorities had alleged Byrd failed to deposit around $2,000 into the fund and failed to pay bills it was intended to take care of. Instead, authorities claimed Byrd used the money for personal expenses.

After Byrd was indicted in November 2014, she remained on duty at her job with the fire department's Community Relations Division. Byrd is a 14-year veteran of the city's fire department.

A department spokesman on Friday did not respond to questions about Byrd's current employment status.

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

He had a prescription drug used to treat opiod dependence, police said. Watch video

A Newark man was found with marijuana and Suboxone films on his dresser, police said. (File photo) 

NEWARK -- A Newark man was arraigned Friday after being arrested Thursday with $4,000 worth of marijuana and a prescription medication that dissolves under the tongue, police said.

Andrew Benjamin, 24, had five prior felony convictions and was arrested on multiple drug charged by the county sheriff's detectives, according to Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

According to Fontoura, the detectives responded to "numerous neighborhood complaints of drug trafficking in Newark's North Ward," and staged a plainclothes surveillance operation at 158 Parker Street Wednesday afternoon. 

4 dead in 24 hours: Newark crime surge tests new director

They saw a man loitering at the front steps of that residence, Fontoura said. After being approached by a woman, this man exchanged items with her for cash before she left, authorities said, and the detectives moved in to investigate.

At that point, "the suspect raced into the residence and locked the front door behind him," Fontoura said.

"The door was forcibly breached and the suspect was chased into a second floor apartment," the sheriff said, but the man managed to elude the officers through a back door. The woman was also not found after subsequent attempts to find her, police said.

Banjamin was found in the second floor apartment, according to the sheriff, and on top of Benjamin's dresser, detectives found $4,000 worth of narcotics, including "297 grams of marijuana, 30 Suboxone films and a wide assortment of drug processing and packaging materials." 

A website for the drug states that Suboxone film is a prescription drug intended for the treatment of opiod dependence, which dissolves under the tongue.

According to the sheriff, over the past several years, there have been several arrests related to Suboxone films. It is being sold on the streets, like the prescription pill Oxycodone, for about $25-$30 a film and being abused by drug users, he said.

The 24-year-old was charged with two counts each of the possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drugs with intent to distribute, possession of drugs with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Barringer High School and possession of drugs with intent to distribute within 500 feet of Branch Brook Park, police said.

He was also charged with possession of narcotics paraphernalia, police said.

On Friday, a judge ordered Benjamin be held at Essex County's jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, the sheriff said.

Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Police have identified the jail detainee who allegedly assaulted a Newark police officer during a Thursday evening escape attempt University Hospital.

Police officials say Jose Rodriguez beat a Newark police officer while attempting to escape custody from University Hospital. (Essex County Corrections)

NEWARK -- Police have identified the jail detainee who allegedly assaulted a Newark police officer during a Thursday evening escape attempt University Hospital as Jose Rodriguez.

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said Rodriguez, 44, was receiving treatment at the hospital following an arrest for receiving stolen property when he attacked a veteran police officer. Details of the arrest were not immediately made available.

The officer was in the process of removing Rodriguez handcuffs solo when the assault began, Ambrose said. During the alleged assault, Rodriguez unsuccessfully attempted to disarm the officer, he added.

The exact extent of the officer's injuries remains unclear, but police sources told NJ Advance Media the officer, a 22-year veteran of the department, sustained significant facial wounds.

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

James Stewart, president of the Newark Fraternal Order of Police, said Friday that the officer is now at home with her family after receiving medical treatment for her injuries.

Following the alleged assault, Rodriguez fled the building, Ambrose said. Rutgers police apprehended him hiding under a car parked car in a UMDNJ parking lot located on South Orange Avenue a few minutes later, officials said. 

Rodriguez now faces charges of aggravated assault in connection with the incident.

Rodriguez' brief escape is fourth such incident since March 2015. Elijah Shabazz, 46, evaded police capture for more than a month after walking out of a guarded room at University Hospital in March of that year.

Three months later, Martin Sanchez, 34, walked out of the hospital undetected after receiving treatment.

In August 2015, Michael Majette, 40, of East Orange ducked his police guards while receiving treatment at the hospital, escaping through a bathroom door. Both men were apprehended a short time after their respective escapes.

Whether the inmate custody protocols failed in connection with the most recent incident was not immediately made clear.

The injured officer was "briefly separated" from her partner when the attack began, Stewart said. "Although she was injured, he[Rodriguez] didn't win because right now he is still in a cell," Stewart added.

Asked about the circumstances that led to the incident, Ambrose said a full investigation of the incident by the Newark Police Department internal affairs and administrative review of the department's inmate supervision protocols are underway.

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

Superior Court Judge Siobhan Teare sentenced Rasoo Scott to 10 years in state prison for the Sept. 1, 2012 fatal shooting of 16-year-old Daniel Ebron-Berbick in Newark

NEWARK -- What began as a fistfight ended with the flash of a gun.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 1, 2012, Rasoo Scott and Daniel Ebron-Berbick were fighting on Fairmount Avenue in Newark when Scott pulled out a gun and shot and killed the 16-year-old Ebron-Berbick.

More than three years later, Superior Court Judge Siobhan Teare on Friday sentenced Scott, 26, of Newark, to 10 years in state prison for the fatal shooting.

In handing down the sentence, the judge noted how Scott has "a clean record" with no prior arrests, but she added that "this is the problem with guns in our society."

"You bring a gun to a fight and this is what happens," the judge added.

Scott pleaded guilty on Jan. 20 to an aggravated manslaughter charge in connection with shooting Ebron-Berbick, who lived in Newark, during an altercation at about 3 a.m. in the 200 block of Fairmount Avenue. Scott shot Ebron-Berbick in the abdomen.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors recommended a 10-year state prison sentence for Scott. He must serve eight and a half years before becoming eligible for parole, and he will receive credit for nearly three and a half years of time served.

In a news release, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Nicole Buermann, who handled the case, said Scott's "senseless use of a gun in this case elevated a street fight into a fatal confrontation."

"The plea agreement took into account the underlying facts of the case as well as the fact that the defendant had no prior contact with the criminal justice system as a juvenile or an adult," Buermann said.

During Friday's hearing, Teare said she would recommend that Scott be sent to a youth facility and she hoped he could help others going forward and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

"I hope that you will take advantage of whatever you can while there, so perhaps you can become a social worker and help other people to understand this is what can happen in your life," Teare said, adding that Scott "can save other people from standing in your shoes or standing in the shoes of the victim."

Before he was sentenced on Friday, Scott apologized and said he didn't mean to hurt anyone.

"I'd like to apologize to the family. I ain't mean for nobody to get hurt," Scott said. "I hope they could forgive me."

Soon after, Ebron-Berbick's stepmother, Yolanda Richardson, stepped to the front of the courtroom and said she could not forgive Scott yet.

"That was my child," said Richardson, who raised Ebron-Berbick since he was 3 years old.

Richardson said Ebron-Berbick's sisters looked up to him. "They called on their big brother for everything, anything and everything, and now their big brother's not there anymore," she said.

Addressing Scott directly, Richardson added: "I really would like to forgive you. I really would, but right now in my heart I can't find it."

Since Richardson said she knew Scott did not intend to kill Ebron-Berbick, Richardson said, "I really hope I can find it to forgive you."

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

Irvington man is being held on $1 million bail, authorities said.

Rakeem Johnson was arrested on various charges in connection with the December homicide, authorities said. (File photo)
 

NEWARK -- Authorities have arrested an Irvington man in connection with the December fatal shooting of a man in Newark.

Rakeem Johnson, 35, has been charged with murder, felony murder, robbery, and weapons charges in connection with the Dec. 22 death of Abner Dominguez, 36, of Jersey City, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said Friday.

Dominguez was fatally shot in the area of 93 Roselle Ave. in Newark, authorities said. No other details about the shooting death were immediately available.

Johnson is being held at the Essex county Correctional Facility on $1 million bail, officials said.

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

Rodríguez was arrested Thursday after he tried to flee a traffic stop in stolen car, police said.

Police officials say Jose Rodriguez beat a Newark police officer while attempting to escape custody from University Hospital. (Essex County Corrections)

NEWARK -- Jose Rodriguez, the jail detainee charged in connection with assaulting a Newark police officer Thursday during an alleged attempted escape from University Hospital, has an extensive criminal record, according to police.

Rodriguez has 20 prior convictions, police said in a statement. Police did not provide the details of those prior convictions.

Other details included in the release provide a first glimpse at the series of events that led up to the attempted escape and alleged beating of a Newark police officer.

Rodriguez' most recent arrest occurred Thursday afternoon at approximately 3:30 p.m., after Newark patrol officers observed him allegedly speeding while driving on Frelinghuysen Avenue.

A license plate check revealed that Rodriguez's vehicle was allegedly stolen, police said. At some point during the traffic stop, Rodriguez attempted to flee the scene, later losing control and crashing into two parked cars, according to police. 

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

Rodriquez ran from the car, but was apprehended a short distance from the scene by an off-duty Newark firefighter.

Rodriguez was transported to the 5th Precinct, where he was issued several summonses and charged with eluding police and receiving stolen auto.

Police said that at approximately 5:10 p.m., Rodriguez was transported to UMDNJ after complaining to police personnel that he was experiencing headaches. While awaiting treatment, Rodriquez asked to use the restroom indicating he had diarrhea.

Rodriguez' handcuffs were removed and as he was entering the restroom, Rodriguez pulled the officer inside and repeatedly punched and kicked her, police said.

After unsuccessfully attempting to disarm the officer, Rodriguez fled the hospital at approximately 8:34 p.m., police said. The injured officer, whose name has not been released, was discovered by nearby New Jersey Transit Police, who alerted their superiors of the escape.

Rodriguez was apprehended by Rutgers police minutes later hiding under a car parked in a lot near South Orange Avenue. 

The injured officer, a 22-year veteran of the force, was released from the hospital Friday after receiving treatment for her injuries.

The Newark Police Department's Office of Professional Responsibility is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escape, officials said Friday. Authorities are working with University Hospital administrators to review inmate custody protocols, Acting Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

Detectives are currently reviewing surveillance footage to see if the attack was captured on video.

Rodriguez now stands charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and escape.

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

Men face assault and weapons offenses stemming from incidents this week, police say.

NEWARK -- Two men have been arrested for a shooting and a stabbing that occurred earlier this week, Acting Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

Members of the Fugitive Apprehension Team arrested Donovan Williams, 29, Friday morning. Police say Williams was in a physical confrontation with his girlfriend in the 300 block of S. 9th Street Wednesday when he struck her with a gun and fired one round, missing her, before fleeing the scene. The woman was later treated at University Hospital.

John O'Boyle 

Williams has been charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon and aggravated assault.

Police also arrested Apolino Garcia Huales, 21, who allegedly stabbed a 22-year-old man on Van Buren Street Tuesday during an argument. Following an investigation by Detectives Louis Ricca and Ralph Calello, Huales was arrested at his job without incident and was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Anyone with information on these or any other crimes is asked to call the department's 24-hour Crime Stoppers' tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867). All tips are kept confidential.

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

A seventh suspect is also being sought following undercover operation

NEWARK -- An undercover operation resulted in the arrests of six men on charges of soliciting prostitution, while a seventh suspect remains at large, Acting Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

 

Police launched the operation following complaints from South Ward residents about prostitution along Frelinghuysen Avenue. The vice operation, which involved undercover female officers, was conducted by the Special Enforcement Bureau.

Six cars were towed along with the arrests made during the hours-long operation. Charged are Terry Baldon, 29, of Elizabeth; Donald Quick, 28, of Irvington; Francis Coyle, 65, of North Arlington; Marek Pakula, 47, of Bayonne; Gabriel Guzman, 29, of Orange; and Adekunle A. Omotade, 21, of Hillside.

Another suspect fled when he saw police arrive, striking a police car and driving  the wrong way down a highway during his escape, Ambrose also said. The car, a 2003 Monte Carlo, was recovered, but the suspect remains at large.

While emphasizing that none of the men have yet been convicted, Ambrose issued a warning to any would-be offenders.

"The quality-of-life issues that plague the Frelinghuysen Avenue corridor, specifically prostitution, are as important to the South Ward residents as they are to the department and will not be accepted. Johns beware, we will be out there."

RELATED: The Week in Crime

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

Seton Hall University donated $10,263 to the volunteers of the South Orange Rescue Squad on Feb. 16.

Tracy Gottlieb (left) and Patrick Linfante (right) present a check to Rescue Squad Captain Dan Cohen.Christopher Petruzzi 

SOUTH ORANGE -- Seton Hall University donated $10,263 to the volunteers of the South Orange Rescue Squad on Feb. 16.

The check was presented to Rescue Squad captain Dan Cohen by Tracy Gottlieb, vice president of student services, and Patrick Linfante, assistant vice president for public safety and security.

"The partnership between the rescue squad and the police and fire departments of South Orange and Public Safety is invaluable to us, Gottlieb said.

Cohen reciprocated the appreciation, noting Seton Hall provides a constant stream of new volunteers to the squad, which currently has seven Seton Hall students and several alumni on its roster.

Those interested in volunteering should contact the South Orange Rescue Squad at sorescue@verizon.net or visit the website at southorangerescuesquad.org.

If you would like to submit news pertaining to your college, please send an email to essex@starledger.com.

Mike Romano may be reached at mromano@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @mromano26. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

"Operation Jacked" took down scheme to send stolen cars to West Africa, cops say

Kurtis Bossie and Jim J. Bryant Jr.NJOAG 

TRENTON -- Two men charged in a 2014 crackdown on an international ring that shipped stolen cars abroad admitted Friday to their roles in the scheme, authorities said.

Newark residents Kurtis Bossie and Jim J. Bryant, Jr., both 24, pleaded guilty to first-degree conspiracy and carjacking charges in Superior Court in Union County.

They were two of 30 men charged following "Operation Jacked," a 10-month investigation led by the by the state Division of Criminal Justice and the New Jersey State Police that recovered 160 stolen cars worth more than $8 million, according to the state Attorney General's Office.

Bossie faces 18 years in prison and Bryant faces 10 for participating in the Essex County carjacking ring, which targeted high-end luxury vehicles from manufacturers including Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Jaguar and Aston Martin, authorities said.

International luxury carjacking ring busted

Police say many of the cars were taken at gun or knifepoint and shipped from Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal to West Africa, where they can fetch twice their retail value. Authorities broke up a similar ring targeting cars along the Route 17 corridor in northern New Jersey last fall. 

Bossie and Bryant are scheduled for sentencing on April 15.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Time to put those snow shovels away? Well, not so fast. Watch video

With only one day remaining and no big snowstorms brewing in the forecast, February is going to turn out to be a big snowfall dud for New Jersey.

Statistics show most areas of the Garden State have gotten only four to five inches of snow this entire month -- three to four inches below the normal statewide accumulation of 8.1 inches -- and February is usually the snowiest month of the year.

In fact, this entire winter's snowfall total to date would be far below normal had it not been for the big blizzard in January. That storm erased the snowfall deficits New Jersey had in December and February.

Is winter finished with us?

Although the meteorological winter comes to a close on Monday (it runs from Dec. 1 through the end of February), the astronomical winter still has three weeks left. With only a scant amount of snow this entire month and warm temperatures on tap later this weekend and early next week, does that mean New Jerseyans can pack up their snow shovels and put their snow blowers into storage? 

"I wouldn't say we're definitely free and clear yet. Any time in March there's still a possibility of getting significant snow," said Al Cope, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's regional office in Mount Holly. "We're not out of the woods yet in terms of snow."

Fellow meteorologist Sarah Johnson agrees.

"It's certainly possible we can still get more wintry weather," she said. "You can still get snowstorms well into the meteorological spring." 

In the past, New Jersey has been hit with significant snowstorms in March, and even some light accumulations as late as April. Back in 1914, the state received 22.7 inches of snow in March, the most ever recorded during that month, according to data compiled by New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson at Rutgers University.

Just last year, New Jersey was blanketed by 11.7 inches of snow in March, more than seven inches above the normal statewide average of 4.3 inches for the month.

During the second week of March in 1993, New Jersey was hit with 10 to 20 inches of snow during a powerful winter storm, records from the National Climatic Data Center show. In March 1958, a big snowstorm dumped 10 to 20 inches of snow across most of New Jersey, with some pockets of 20 to 30 inches. Another storm dropped similar amounts of snow in March 1958.

And don't forget the "Great Blizzard of '88," which clobbered New Jersey, New York and most of the northeastern United States with huge amounts of snow during the second week of March in 1888. That was one of the most damaging blizzards in U.S. history.

Some months down, some months up

For New Jersey, the three-month meteorological winter of 2015 to 2016 got off to a dismal start in terms of snow. Most parts of the state got either no snow at all or just a dusting in December, when temperatures were soaring and daily record highs were being broken in droves. 

Snowfall in January was on the light side -- until the monster blizzard hit near the end of the month, dumping a solid foot to two feet of snow over most of the Garden State and up to 30 inches in some spots. That was followed by a February sprinkled with several light dustings of snow and two big storm systems that ended up dumping heavy rain instead of snow.

The sparse snowfall in December and February was offset by the huge snowfall in January, pushing most of New Jersey above its normal snowfall accumulations during those three months combined.

"A lot of places got at or above their average annual snowfall with the one blizzard," Johnson said. "That happens some seasons. You can get one or two blockbuster snows and be at or above average for the year."

Here's a look at how much snow has fallen so far this season in three cities in different regions of the state.

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

The officer used a box to cover the snake.

NEWARK -- Humans aren't the only ones enjoying the warm weather Sunday.

A Newark Police Officer captured a six-foot snake at about 1:30 p.m. basking on Fillmore Street, Capt. Derek Glenn said.

A resident walked into the 3^rd Precinct Headquarters, just around the corner from Fillmore Street, and said they saw the snake. An officer drove over to check it out, and saw the snake near the base of a house, Glenn said.

Snakes near a train: Reptile found in station's trash can

A passerby lent him a box, which he used to trap the snake until Associated Humane Societies, which handles animal control for Newark, could arrive. Associated Humane Societies has not determined the species of the snake, which was black and white in color, Glenn said.

The snake is believed to be an escaped pet.

Vincent Harrison, 26, was hit on the New Jersey Turnpike after a minor accident around 3 a.m. Sunday, authorities said

An off-duty New York City police officer was killed by a hit-and-run driver on the New Jersey Turnpike in Elizabeth early Sunday morning, authorities said. (Jerry McCrea/The Star-Ledger)

Editor's Note: This post was updated with additional info from state police at 8:58 p.m.

ELIZABETH - The man killed in a hit-and-run accident on the New Jersey Turnpike early this morning was an off-duty New York City police officer, according to multiple news sources.

Officer Vincent Harrison, 25, of Valley Stream, N.Y., was assigned to the city's 100th Precinct in the Rockaway section of Queens.

We are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of one of our own, may you rest in peace P.O. Vincent Harrison.

-- NYPD 100th Precinct (@NYPD100Pct) February 28, 2016

According to Trooper Alina Spies of the New Jersey State Police, Harrison was traveling southbound on the highway near Newark Liberty International Airport when his 2013 Chevy Cruze made contact with a 2003 Ford Escape around 3 a.m.

He pulled to the highway's right shoulder after the crash, but the Ford was disabled and unable to move out of the highway's right and right center lanes.

MORE: Union County News

Harrison exited his car, but was struck by a 2008 Infiniti that passed between the two vehicles, Spies said. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

As of about 8:30 p.m., state police said the Infiniti and its driver had been located, but they were still working to determine what charges will be filed.

.@NYPD100Pct mourns the loss of Ofc Vincent Harrison; killed by hit & run driver. https://t.co/VMX65j2uUp #NYPD pic.twitter.com/DvXDI6UQEP

-- BlueLineAcrossAmer (@BlueLineAcross) February 29, 2016

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

An elderly man and woman had to be rescued from one of the houses on West Runyon Street in the city's South Ward

NEWARK -- At least 20 people were displaced after a four-alarm fire tore through a row of multi-family homes in the city's South Ward Sunday night.

According to Capt. Derek Glenn of the Newark Department of Public Safety, firefighters were called to the 300 block of West Runyon Street around 8:40 p.m., where they found the flames that began in one home beginning to damage two others.

Glenn said a man walking through the area told authorities he encountered an elderly woman fleeing the fire, and rushed inside to help rescue her husband from a second-floor apartment.

The blaze took more than two hours to extinguish, and embers damaged another building on nearby Millington Street, according to Glenn.

The American Red Cross was on scene Sunday to help the five families that were displaced.

MORE: Essex County News

Glenn said one firefighter was injured during the response, but was able to be treated at the scene.

Investigators had yet to determine what caused the fire as of about 10:30 p.m.

There are a number of ways people who want to help can participate in caring for homeless animals.

If you're interested in helping homeless animals but aren't able to adopt one, there are a number of other ways you can be of assistance.

Realistically, not everyone can adopt. People who live in apartments or residential complexes that have no-pets policies fall into that category, as do people with allergies or disabilities that will not allow them to care for pets of their own.

Adoptapet.com offers these suggestions for ways people who want to help can participate in caring for homeless animals.

* Help out at a local shelter. It's not glamorous work by any means, but it's vital and will be very much appreciated. You can do anything from help walk dogs to bottle feed kittens, help clean kennels or cat's cages or even help with bathing and grooming. Contact your local shelter to find out their policies regarding volunteers.

* If you're handy, you can lend a hand in many ways. Shelters usually need repairs of many kinds, so fixer-uppers can help out like that. If you sew, quilt or crochet, you can make blankets for your area shelter.

* Help out at an adoption event. Many shelters and rescue groups participate in local events by hosting a table with pets available for adoption. They also hold these program at malls, pet supply stores and banks, and can often use a helping hand.

* For galleries like this one and for online adoptions sites, often a shelter or rescue group doesn't have the time or equipment to shoot good photos of their adoptable pets. Something as simple as making yourself available to shoot and provide digital files of pet photos can be a big help.

* Donate. It doesn't have to be money; shelters need cleaning supplies, pet food, toys for the animals and often even things we don't think twice about getting rid of like old towels and newspapers. Every little bit helps.

If you don't know where your local animal shelter or rescue group is, a quick online search will reveal a number of results.

Here's a gallery of pets in need of homes in northern and central New Jersey. More homeless pets can be seen here and here.

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

Mark Friedrich named High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year by NJAHPERD.

Mark FriedrichMillburn Public Schools 

MILLBURN -- Millburn High School health and physical education teacher Mark Friedrich has been named the High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the New Jersey Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

The award recognizes teachers for the quality of their physical education programs, for programs that meet the needs of all students and who serve as positive role models for their students.

Friedrich, a resident of Union Township, is a graduate of Montclair State University and received his master's in educational leadership from Kean University. He was a physical education teacher at South Mountain Elementary School in South Orange for eight years before coming to Millburn High School in 2004, where he has taught health and physical education and Adventure Education, a program he helped launch. Friedrich also coaches the freshmen boys' lacrosse team and is the adviser for the Wounded Warrior Club.

"I'm truly honored to receive this award. This is a very proud moment for me and for the Adventure Education Program at MHS," said Friedrich, who was honored Feb. 21 at the NJAHPERD Awards Banquet.

To submit school news send an email to essex@starledger.com.