17-year-old charged with arson in connection with New Jersey wildfire
The teenager, whose identity officials did not reveal, was taken into custody on Thursday and charged with aggravated arson, arson, and hindering apprehension, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. The 17-year-old is the second person to be arrested in connection with the fire, which broke out last Tuesday and has been coined the Jones Road Wildfire.
Last week, 19-year-old Joseph Kling was also arrested and charged with arson in the third degree and aggravated arson in the second degree. He has also since been charged with hindering apprehension, the prosecutor's office said. Kling is scheduled to appear in superior court for the first time Friday afternoon, though details about the hearing are not immediately available.
Prosecutors accuse Kling and the 17-year-old of setting wooden pallets on fire near Jones Road and Bryant Road in Waretown before leaving the area without fully extinguishing the fire. The Cedar Bridge Fire Tower spotted smoke coming from the location last Tuesday morning, and investigators determined that the cause of the fire was "an improperly extinguished bonfire."
Prosecutors said that as of Monday, the fire had burned approximately 15,300 acres in Waretown and Lacey townships and destroyed a commercial building. A spokesperson for the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection told NBC News on Thursday that the Jones Road Wildfire was about 80 percent contained.
Both teenagers are also accused of giving law enforcement false information as to how the fire started, which prompted the hindering apprehension charge.
According to the prosecutor's office, the 17-year-old is being held at the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center. Kling was at the Ocean County Jail ahead of his detention hearing.
It is not clear if the teenager is being represented by an attorney at this time. An attorney for Kling did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
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14 hours ago
South Sudanese exiles face uncertain future after release from prison in neighboring Sudan
RENK, South Sudan -- As a young man in the mid-1980s, Daud Mahmoud Abdullah left his home in Aweil in South Sudan and headed north. It was a time of war. South Sudan was still part of Sudan and was fighting for independence, in a conflict that would claim about 2 million lives. He never went back. But now, aged 60 and after 6 months in a Sudanese prison, he is closer to home than he's been in 40 years. This July, he finally crossed the border back into his native South Sudan, taking a deep breath and reminding himself, 'I am alive.' After everything that has happened to him, it feels like a miracle. Sudan — once his place of refuge — has been embroiled in a brutal civil war since April 2023 that has killed 40,000 people and displaced nearly 13 million more, according to UN agencies. Abdullah lived in the town of Wad Madani, capital of Al Jazirah State, about 135km (85 miles) south of Khartoum. There had been incursions into the area by the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary force once known as the Janjaweed who were notorious for mass killings, rapes and other atrocities in Darfur two decades ago. More recently, the RSF have again been accused of by the International Criminal Court of committing war crimes, including the attacks on famine-hit Zamzam and other camps in North Darfur. In January, the Sudanese Armed Forces began recapturing parts of Al Jazirah state from the RSF — and making sweeping arrests. Abdullah got caught up in the incursions on his way home from the market: he was picked up by SAF soldiers and accused of cooperating with the RSF. Abdullah says that he was 'beaten, tortured and burned with cigarettes' to make him confess. Although he never made a confession, he was thrown in prison. In a report released in March, the top U.N. human rights body detailed how both the SAF and the RSF have detained tens of thousands of people 'without charge, with limited or no contact with their families, in squalid and overcrowded facilities' in 'a widespread pattern of arbitrary detention, torture, and ill-treatment.' Abdullah can attest to this. He remembers inmates dying from starvation, beatings or illnesses like cholera on a daily basis. One morning, he discovered that 28 of his fellow inmates had died in the night. For the next three days the bodies lay inside his cell, and the soldiers refused to remove them. 'Even when you shouted to them,' said Abdullah, 'they would tell you, 'if you want to die also, you can die with them.'' The Associated Press spoke to eight men in total, some of whom were detained in other prisons in Al Jazirah State and Khartoum. All recounted nightmarish conditions during their incarceration. They described being crammed into cells alongside hundreds of other prisoners. Cells were so crowded that they were forced to sleep with their knees tucked under their chin. Beatings occurred regularly; one said he lost the use of his right eye as a result. One man, Michael Deng Dut, 29, said he had been 'tortured with electricity more than 18 times.' Simon Tong, 39, said that he was tortured with a knife during an interrogation, and rolled up his sleeve to expose the scars on his arm. Many of the men said they were given only a handful of food and a small cup of water once a day. 'This is the reason many of us passed away,' said Tong, 'because of the lack of food and water.' In July, 99 South Sudanese prisoners were separated from the other inmates. As the men awaited their fate, one died, reducing their number to 98. On July 28, they were bundled into a bus and driven away, not knowing where they were going. 'They did not tell us they were going to release us,' says Abdullah. He didn't realize where he was until they reached the South Sudanese border and were taken to Renk, the country's northernmost town, by South Sudanese officials. Though still far from home, Abdullah was back in his own country for the first time in 40 years. The border town of Renk has become a hub for South Sudanese nationals trying to get home. When the Sudanese civil war broke out in 2023, UN agencies and the South Sudanese government established an onward transportation program which has moved more than 250,000 people, according to the UN's International Office of Migration. On June 1, 2025, the program was suspended due to global cuts to humanitarian funding. The number of people living in and around a transit center in Renk has since swelled to 12,000, roughly six times its intended capacity. Thousands are living in makeshift shelters made of sticks and cloth. But for Abdullah, arriving in Renk was a moment of overwhelming joy after months of torture and uncertainty. He was overcome to see his wife, daughter, and younger brother waiting for him. His wife had decided to take his family south after his younger brother had been arrested and released by SAF for the third time. 'When I saw Abdullah, I thanked God,' she said. 'We did not expect to see him alive again.' Abdullah now hopes to return to Aweil, the town where he was born. He still has family in Sudan, and is trying to contact them so that they might join him in Renk. 'If they come back safely, then we plan to go to Aweil,' he said. 'All of us, together.'
Newsweek
06-08-2025
- Newsweek
Woman Has Been Dating 'Charming' Man For Months, But There's a Problem
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A woman has turned to the internet to question whether she was being manipulated after months of dating a man she met in person at a gym. The 25-year-old South African woman, as Reddit user Classic-Act-3020, recounted what began as a seemingly normal relationship—frequent gym visits, weekly dates and meeting someone close to him—only to be followed by growing suspicions. Early in their relationship, the 26-year-old man revealed that his father was suffering from kidney failure and that the man was struggling with rent. Online Revelations The woman offered a small loan of R800 ($44) to help with groceries, which he repaid the same day from a bank account not in his name. When she asked about the name mismatch, he said his personal account had been closed after being falsely accused of fraud. Despite this explanation, she later found online posts accusing him of being a scammer. When she confronted him, he broke down, claiming his identity had been misused by a friend and that he was now trying to rebuild his life. Stock image: Hurt woman staring at her phone. Stock image: Hurt woman staring at her phone. Liubomyr Vorona/iStock/Getty Images Plus His apparent financial struggles escalated, according to her post. The man claimed a friend stole his remaining money and vanished, leaving him unable to pay rent or advertise his freelance work. He asked for R10,000 ($554) to purchase a server he said was essential for his digital marketing and software development business. "Again, lots of emotion, but this time I said no," the OP told Redditors. "Is this a long-game manipulation, or just someone going through a messy chapter in life? How do you draw the line between empathy and being taken advantage of?" Alarmed Reddit users responding to her post in their hundreds this week were skeptical of the man's intentions. As one supporter warned, "He's gonna try and milk you for as long as you allow him. Think about it, the R800, why would he accept it and then be able to pay you back the very same day? Why did he need it in the first place? It was to gain your trust." Several supporters called out the classic scam tactics that the "red flag" man was apparently using, including emotional manipulation and fabricated family emergencies. 'This guy's lying' A Redditor, identifying as a freelance social media marketer married to a software developer, said flatly: "This guy's lying." The OP replied: "Sad, his work was always questionable. I wish I hadn't emotionally invested so much." Another individual urged the OP to, "block and ignore. Don't confront him. Just block and move on." According to Newsweek, dating coach Chloe Gray warns about similar red flags: emotional vulnerability paired with inconsistency and elaborate personal misfortunes. "If they have a huge list of what they expect of you, the person behind the profile is usually either controlling, or incredibly bitter about online dating," Gray said. The Australian eSafety Commission also exposes catfishing tactics, where individuals create false identities to defraud or manipulate victims. Even when a relationship starts in person, it can quickly adopt classic online catfishing patterns, such as unverifiable personal history, rapid emotional escalation and financial requests, an eSafety spokesperson told Newsweek. 'Warning signs' "Warning signs include vague or inconsistent stories, urgent or secretive requests for money, a limited or suspicious social media presence and pressure to move communications off trusted platforms," the spokesperson continued. "If you suspect you are being manipulated, pause all contact, stop sending money or personal information, and independently verify their identity. Conducting reverse-image searches and social media checks can be invaluable. "Social media platforms also have tools that allow you to report fake accounts. has information and advice about catfishing on our website to help people understand what it is, how to spot it and what to do if you fall victim to it." 'Troubled and narcissistic" In the thread, the woman updated concerned Redditors to say she has just blocked the, "deeply troubled and narcissistic" man. "I'll probably bump into him, but luckily I can change my gym and avoid him rather. I feel really embarrassed." Newsweek has contacted Classic-Act-3020 for comment via Reddit. To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, click here.
Politico
06-08-2025
- Politico
Trump administration pounces on undocumented immigrant's vehicular homicide charge
Good Wednesday morning! Late last week, Raul Luna-Perez, an undocumented immigrant with two recent arrests for DUI and one 2023 arrest for domestic violence, allegedly drove drunk and slammed his car into one driven by Maria Santos Pleitez, killing her and her 11-year-old daughter and seriously injuring another daughter. The Trump administration jumped on it. On Saturday, ICE announced an arrest detainer and began initiating removal proceedings. Luna-Perez had been arrested for DUI in March and April and in 2023 was arrested on domestic violence charges, according to ICE. 'Thanks to New Jersey Governor Murphy's sanctuary policies, he was released into American communities. He entered the U.S. illegally at an unknown date and location,' read an ICE press release. This puts a heart-wrenching case involving immigration in the headlines in the middle of New Jersey's race for governor, so this probably won't be the last of it. And if the feds were looking for strong pushback from Gov. Phil Murphy on this, they didn't get it. 'The Governor believes that Mr. Luna-Perez, who had been arrested multiple times for DUI and domestic violence, should not have been allowed behind the wheel and should have already been deported due to his dangerous criminal activity,' Murphy spokesperson Mahen Gunartana wrote. In a statement, Attorney General Matt Platkin said 'over the objection of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, the court chose to release Mr. Luna-Perez.' 'To be clear, nothing in the Immigrant Trust Directive would have prevented New Jersey Law Jersey law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials to deport this defendant.,' Platkin said. 'And we reiterate that the Immigrant Trust Directive allows for cooperation with ICE in regard to anyone charged with a violent crime or convicted of any indictable offense.' (I'm not quite clear on whether the judge released Luna-Perez after the vehicular homicide charge). The Immigrant Trust Directive — the policy enacted during Murphy's first term that governs how law enforcement cooperates with ICE — widely restricts enforcement from enforcing federal immigration law, but it allows cooperation for serious crimes. So my question was whether Luna-Perez's arrests before the vehicular homicide charge qualify for this exception. For one of them, I think so. Though Luna-Perez's charge of simple assault domestic violence wasn't a felony, from my reading of the directive, any domestic violence charge is considered a 'violent or serious' under the directive and allows police to question the suspect about their immigration status and notify the feds. Why that didn't happen — if indeed it didn't — I'm not sure. (I'm told that charge had been expunged). Platkin in his statement said the directive ensures 'that victims and witnesses can safely come forward to report crimes regardless of their immigration status' and that it 'has improved law enforcement's ability to keep our communities safe with record low reductions in shootings and other violent crimes.' But measuring the directive's effectiveness is particularly difficult, while individual crimes like this stare you right in the face. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ SHOW ME THE WAY: Acting Gov. Way has no public schedule QUOTE OF THE DAY:"I'm not a political hack. I'm an attorney licensed in four states. I've been licensed by the Supreme Court of the United States, and I have practiced law for the better of 20 years, and run law firms for most of 15 that [have] been extremely successful despite what the Twitter trolls would like to say.' — Acting (?) U.S. Attorney Alina Habba responding to criticism by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Richard Babcock WHAT TRENTON MADE WE'RE JUST BREAKING BLS — 'Jobs numbers become latest Trump battleground,' by NJ Spotlight News' John Reitmeyer: 'The latest monthly jobs report released by New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development showed the state unemployment rate ticked up to 4.9% in June, coinciding with a loss of nearly 10,000 jobs. The same report, based on federal jobs data, announced a revision to the prior month's employment estimate, reflecting a further loss of jobs in New Jersey from April to May compared to what was originally reported. Buried in these monthly reports are technical notes that explain how the jobs data is collected — and why such revisions are commonplace as part of the ongoing quest to get an accurate view of the current job market. … The collection and dissemination of such data by the federal government has occurred for decades in the U.S., according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, using estimates derived from both household and employer surveys. … However, the jobs reports themselves are often easy targets for politicians, including those who may be feeling the heat whenever a new monthly report's initial snapshot gives reason to believe the economy is slumping. Last week President Donald Trump publicly criticized the July jobs report, which indicated both an increase in the nation's unemployment rate and a major downward revision of prior monthly jobs totals.' —'Punk rock brought together veterinarian and firefighter. An ex-boyfriend cop took their lives' TRUMP ERA NO SANCTS — 'Feds trim list of places they're fighting over immigration enforcement,' by New Jersey Monitor's Dana DiFilippo: 'Federal officials on Tuesday released a revised list of states, cities, and municipalities with policies meant to restrict immigration enforcement, and Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Hoboken made the list. A longer list that the U.S. Department of Justice issued in May left some observers baffled about some of the Republican-led and -leaning jurisdictions included, such as Cumberland and Warren counties. So the feds retracted and revised it, and now, no New Jersey counties are on the list. Even New Jersey itself isn't among the 12 states (plus the District of Columbia) that the feds have labeled as sanctuary states — even though Alina Habba, New Jersey's acting U.S. attorney, vowed in April to investigate Gov. Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matt Platkin over the Immigrant Trust Directive, a state order that restricts when state and local police officers can cooperate with federal immigration agents.' I NEVER THOUGHT THE LEOPARDS WOULD EAT MY COASTLINE — 'Jersey Shore would be mostly gone without beach replenishment. But at what cost?' by The Asbury Park Press' Amanda Oglesby and Dan Radel: 'More than $3.4 billion of local, state and federal tax dollars have been spent trying to stabilize the New Jersey coast, all while the Atlantic Ocean works to move the sand out from under the feet of its residents. … Without millions of dollars spent each year, the barrier islands — which drive billions in tourism dollars and fund much of the economy of eastern New Jersey — would be destroyed with the push and pull of coastal currents. But now the projects that protect the coast from potentially catastrophic erosion are in danger, according to some state officials. 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Experts weigh in' —'LBI group asks Trump administration to cancel approvals for Atlantic Shores offshore wind project' —'How Booker and Kim differ on arms sales to Israel' —'NJ nonprofits step in after 988 LGBTQ+ option is canceled' LOCAL R.I.P. — 'Atlantic County Commissioner Ernest Coursey dies at 62 after battle with colon cancer,' by The Press of Atlantic City's Nicholas Huba: 'Atlantic County Commissioner Ernest Coursey has died, according to a statement from the county's Democratic organization. He was 62. 'I am terribly saddened by the passing of my friend Ernest Coursey. Ernest had a gifted political mind and a solid pragmatism to him that made him an effective public servant. He exemplified Otto von Bismarck's maxim that 'politics is the art of the possible.' ….' Chairman Michael Suleiman said in a statement. Coursey was a tireless advocate for Atlantic County and was most recently responsible for facilitating discussions to settle the county's lawsuit against the state over distribution of the casinos' payment-in-lieu-of-taxes funds, County Executive Dennis Levinson said … The county Board of Commissioners' meeting scheduled for Tuesday was canceled in light of Coursey's death.' OFFICIAL PROVES HE HAS PULL IN CITY HALL — 'Paterson councilman charged with allegedly pulling City Hall fire alarm,' by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: 'Councilman Luis Velez — who says he is running for mayor next year — was arrested by the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office on Aug. 5 and charged with a third-degree crime for allegedly pulling a City Hall fire alarm, officials said. The incident, which was captured on poorly lit security camera footage, took place in September 2024. 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Paul Moriarty (D-Washington) leveled against the county party last year. Moriarty sued the Camden GOP and its previous chairman, Thomas Crone Jr., for defamation over a mailer distributed in the days leading up to the Democrat's election to the state Senate in 2023. The mailer allegedly called Moriarty a 'drunk driver,' an apparent reference to an unlawful DWI arrest in 2012 that led to the firing of a Washington Township police officer and a $50,000 settlement. The Camden GOP, now chaired by Kimberley Stuart, denied distributing the mailer in a legal filing. Crone, however, failed to comply with a subpoena that asked for his testimony and relevant documents. Late last week, Superior Court Judge Steven Polansky ordered Crone to pay $934 in attorney fees for his 'previous failure to comply' with the subpoena and demanded he appear for a deposition next Tuesday' TRENTON — 'State voided Trenton Water Works tests, levied $235K fine,' by The Jersey Vindicator's Jeff Pillets: 'Critical failures and fraud that surfaced last fall and winter at the beleaguered Trenton Water Works were deeper and more potentially harmful to water quality than previously known, according to documents released by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Last November, the utility that serves more than 200,000 Mercer County area residents announced that a worker was caught allegedly filing fake reports over a 13-month period from October 2022 through December 2023.' THE SMALL ONE — '2.7 earthquake hits N.J. days after 3.0 quake struck Bergen County,' by CBS New York's Jesse Zanger: ' A 2.7 earthquake shook near Hillsdale, N.J., Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It happened shortly after 12 p.m. The earthquake hit about 7.7 miles deep about 1.25 miles southwest of Hillsdale, according to the USGS. CBS News New York's Nick Caloway reported the ground rumbled in Ridgewood for about five seconds, then stopped. … No damage was immediately reported … Tuesday's incident comes on the heels of a 3.0-magnitude earthquake in Bergen County's Hasbrouck Heights Saturday night that rattled parts of New Jersey and New York.' —'Newark school board to pay $200K to settle legal claim filed by ex-school board member's daughter' —'Cyberattack caused [Cresskill] to misdirect tax payments, lawsuit says' —McDonald: 'Clever delay by Jersey City may allow it to escape public scrutiny over cop's outrageous conduct' —'Trying to be the life of the party: Sherrill and Ciattarelli contend with unpopular Dems and GOP' —'Once called 'a rising star,' North Bergen PD det. arrested in North Hudson drug ring' EVERYTHING ELSE AMERICAN REALITY — 'NJ tax judge cuts American Dream assessed value, affecting bondholder payments,' by The Record's Daniel Munoz: 'A New Jersey tax judge has approved American Dream mall's assessed value cut by $850 million, handing a win to the mall's owners, Canadian developer Triple Five. The decision by New Jersey Tax Court Judge Michael Gilmore on the 3.5 million-square-foot megamall and entertainment complex, issued July 31, means American Dream will have an assessed value of $1.65 billion rather than $2.5 billion. The ruling means the holders of $800 million in tax-exempt bonds that helped finance the mall will receive lower payments. … [S]nce the mall sits on tax-exempt, state-owned land, East Rutherford receives payments in lieu of taxes rather than property tax payments. The borough's property tax assessment contained 'fundamental flaws and errors' that 'improperly add several hundreds of millions of dollars to the valuation' of the American Dream mall, argued Romal Bullock, an attorney representing the mall, in a May court filing. The July 31 decision comes two months after the assessed property value of American Dream dropped by $800 million over concerns about the vacancy rate at the mall, which has struggled to generate the revenue promised years ago.' FOR PETE'S SAKE — 'Ex-Hoboken mayor gets his N.Y. law license back,' by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: 'A former Hoboken mayor who was arrested three weeks after taking office for accepting a bribe has paid his debt to society and now has his law license back. Peter Cammarano spent two years in a federal prison for taking $25,000 in cash from government informant Solomon Dwek on July 23, 2009, as part of Operation Bid Rig, a massive FBI corruption probe that involved political corruption, money laundering, and even the illegal trafficking of human organs. Cammarano resigned 23 days into his term. As a result of the conviction, Cammarano was disbarred in New Jersey and New York. A panel of New York judges approved Cammarano's application last week, finding that he has revealed 'genuine remorse for his conduct.'' —'Construction begins on first-of-its-kind N.J. apartment complex for adults with autism' —'N.J. man sues sushi chain, claims $100K investment led to raw deal'
