Latest news with #DivisionofCriminalJustice
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
CT deputy chief state's attorney to retire after 3 decades of prosecutions
Deputy Chief State's Attorney Kevin Lawlor will retire at the end of his most recent term at the end of June, state officials said Tuesday. Lawlor has held the position as chief of operations for the Division of Criminal Justice since 2018 and supervised prosecutors involved in appeals, cases involving multiple jurisdictions, civil litigation, housing complaints, Medicaid fraud and other matters. Earlier in his career, Lawlor was state's attorney for the Ansonia Milford district for a dozen years. Before that he was an assistant state's attorney 'Deputy Chief State's Attorney Lawlor has served the people of Connecticut with distinction and honor for three decades,' Chief State's Attorney Patrick J. Griffin said. 'As a State's Attorney, he served the Ansonia/Milford Judicial District with integrity, dedication and commitment to upholding the law, displaying exemplary leadership that continued during his tenure as Deputy Chief State's Attorney.' Supreme Court Justice Andrew J. McDonald, chairman of the criminal justice commission, thanked Lawlor for 30 years of employment. 'From his first days as a prosecutor in courtrooms throughout the state, to his recent years as one of the Division's top administrators, he has proven himself to be a dedicated and distinguished public servant committed to seeking justice for the people of this state,' McDonald said. The division said it is accepting applications for Lawlor's position.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Florida man indicted after allegedly bringing 'small arsenal' on Amtrak train, law enforcement says
A Florida man allegedly boarded an Amtrak train in New Jersey carrying ammunition, multiple handguns and an AR-15 style rifle, New Jersey authorities said. Jeffrey O. Kennerk, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, was indicted on several charges, including aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and causing or risking widespread injury or damage, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office and the Division of Criminal Justice said in a press release on Wednesday. "This defendant allegedly hauled a small arsenal of deadly weapons and ammunition through busy transit stations, and on a train filled with passengers," New Jersey's Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said in a statement. Transit police at Penn Station in Newark, New Jersey, noticed an unattended black-and-white-zebra-pattern bag on Jan. 3, according to officials. A K-9 team cleared the bag for the presence of explosives, then the officers opened it and found inside a case for a Glock handgun, according to a press release, which cites two complaints and an indictment. Inside the case was a handgun with a loaded 18-round magazine, officials said. Also in the bag were an AR-style magazine with rifle rounds and a "plastic bag containing a shirt and two boxes labeled 9 mm bullets; four boxes of .223 caliber bullets." "A zipped secondary compartment in the suitcase contained a pink duffle bag containing a black Zastava Arms AK-47 style rifle with one round loaded in the chamber and multiple loaded magazines," the A.G.'s press release said. After law enforcement found the bag, at about 2:55 p.m., they reviewed camera footage from the station, which appeared to show a man, whom police allege was Kennerk, who was carrying two suitcases, including the one with the zebra pattern. "The subject walked away, allegedly, leaving behind the zebra print suitcase, and went to the Amtrak ticket window," officials said. "It was learned that the subject was boarding an Amtrak train bound for Virginia and the next stop would be the Trenton Transit Center." Two officers boarded that train as it arrived in Trenton, officials said. When they approached Kennerk, he allegedly showed them a valid Amtrak ticket -- although it was for another train. Police officers in Trenton had been notified that Newark officials were searching for Kennerk. He was arrested before he could board his ticketed train, officials said. "The collective actions of law enforcement eliminated the possible carnage that could have been caused by the weapons involved in this case," New Jersey Transit Police Chief Christopher Trucillo said in a statement. As Kennerk was arrested, police searched his second suitcase and found multiple other weapons, officials said. He was allegedly carrying in that "dark maroon colored" suitcase an AR-15-style rifle, along with "multiple caches of ammunitions, multiple extended magazines, and multiple handguns," officials said. "The indictment of this individual underscores the severe threat posed by those who amass illegal weapons with blatant disregard for public safety," said Col. Patrick J. Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, in a statement. Deputy Attorney General Karen Bracizewsk, of New Jersey's Division of Criminal Justice, is expected to lead the prosecution against Kennerk, officials said. ABC News' Jessica Gorman and Victoria Arancio contributed to this report. Florida man indicted after allegedly bringing 'small arsenal' on Amtrak train, law enforcement says originally appeared on
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bookkeeper pleads guilty to stealing $4M from New Jersey trucking company
A New Jersey woman has pleaded guilty to stealing roughly $4 million from her employer, a trucking company, to fund her gambling habit. Jeanette Avellan pleaded guilty to charges involving theft from West End Express, based in South Brunswick. The company's website describes it as a truckload carrier and drayage provider. Avellan pleaded guilty to second-degree theft of movable property, third-degree failure to pay income taxes and third-degree filing a fraudulent tax return. The guilty plea comes with a recommended sentence of four years in state prison, according to a prepared statement from state Attorney General Matthew Platkin. 'Employers need to know the people they hire to handle sensitive financial duties can be trusted to do their jobs honestly and professionally,' Theresa L. Hilton, director of the state's Division of Criminal Justice, said in the statement. The DCJ also participated in the investigation. 'Unfortunately, in this case, the defendant's gambling habit led her to steal from her employer and then try to hide her theft by filing fraudulent tax returns.' At the plea hearing, according to the release from the attorney general, Avellan said she was a bookkeeper for West End Express beginning in 2005. Her theft of the $4 million occurred between January 2017 and January 2023. Avellan said at the plea hearing that she did not declare any of the stolen funds as income when filing her tax returns. Restitution is set at $4.03 million to her victims and about $560,000 to the state for back taxes and penalties. She will be formally sentenced May 9 in Monmouth County. More articles by John Kingston Breaking from the FreightTech AI pack: Companies make their case at TIA meeting New Mack long-haul truck makes grand entrance in bid for market share ATBS says independent drivers earned a little more in '24 but drove more as well The post Bookkeeper pleads guilty to stealing $4M from New Jersey trucking company appeared first on FreightWaves.
Express Tribune
12-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Indian-origin councillor Anand Shah charged in US mafia-linked gambling probe
Listen to article Anand Shah, an Indian-origin municipal councillor from Prospect Park, New Jersey, has been charged with racketeering, illegal gambling, money laundering, and other offences in connection with a $3 million criminal enterprise tied to the Lucchese crime family. Anand Shah, 42, is serving his second term on the Prospect Park Borough Council, where he holds responsibility for finance, economic development, and insurance. He was among 39 individuals named in charges announced Friday by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin. The two-year investigation, led by the New Jersey State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice, uncovered a sprawling illegal gambling operation involving underground poker clubs, offshore online sportsbooks, and money laundering networks operating throughout North Jersey. Searches were carried out on 9 April at 12 locations, including four poker clubs located in Totowa, Garfield, and Woodland Park. Some of these clubs were concealed behind operating restaurants. Authorities also searched a business in Paterson believed to house gambling machines and seven private residences linked to individuals managing the operation. Anand Shah is accused of managing illegal poker games and overseeing an online sportsbook as part of his alleged role in the criminal network. Prosecutors say he worked closely with upper-level members of the Lucchese crime family, one of the oldest and most notorious Italian-American organised crime groups in the United States. Another Indian-origin individual, Samir Nadkarni, 48, of Longwood, Florida, was also charged and described as a poker host and sportsbook sub-agent. According to investigators, the criminal enterprise ran gambling activities both in person and online, including social clubs that hosted live poker games, gambling machines, and a sophisticated online sportsbook system. The online platform, hosted on foreign servers, allowed agents and sub-agents to manage bettors, collect debts, and distribute winnings. The gambling network allegedly used shell corporations and legitimate businesses to hide and launder illicit proceeds. The total estimated value of suspected criminal earnings exceeds $3 million. Authorities said that upper management of the ring, including Shah and others, made key decisions, resolved internal disputes, and at times used intimidation tactics to recover outstanding gambling debts. 'Criminal enterprises like this pose a serious threat to the safety and well-being of our communities, driving illegal gambling, money laundering, and racketeering operations that value profit over people,' said Colonel Patrick Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. Attorney General Platkin added that while popular media often romanticises mafia activity, the reality is far from cinematic. 'It's about breaking the laws the rest of us follow, and ultimately it's about money, control, and the threat of violence,' he said. 'The arrest of a sitting council member only adds fuel to the fire of public distrust in elected officials.' Officials emphasised that the investigation is ongoing, and more charges or arrests may follow. Anand Shah has not yet entered a plea. His attorney has not publicly responded to the charges.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
CT officials offering $50K reward in death of woman found bludgeoned outside beach house
Connecticut officials are offering a $50,000 reward in exchange for information on a cold case involving the death of a woman who was found bludgeoned outside a home in Madison 15 years ago. The reward was announced Tuesday after being approved by Gov. Ned Lamont, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice. New Haven Judicial District State's Attorney John P. Doyle, Jr. had filed an application for the reward in exchange for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing 48-year-old Barbara Hamburg, a mother of two. In a statement issued by the DCJ, Doyle and Madison Police Department Chief John Drumm said they believe the reward will renew public interest in the case and prompt anyone with information to come forward. 'The public is advised not to underestimate the significance of what they may know and not to assume that law enforcement must already possess that information,' DCJ officials wrote. 'Sometimes a small piece of information may be what investigators need to solve a case and achieve a successful prosecution.' Hamburg was found dead on March 3, 2010, in the yard of her home on Middle Beach Road West. Police responded to the home on the report of an injured woman when Hamburg was found by family members, including one of her two children, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Hamburg was supposed to appear in family court the morning of her death in connection with thousands of dollars of alimony and child support payments she said she was owed by her ex-husband, Jeffrey Hamburg, but she never showed. Jeffrey Hamburg was later charged with larceny in connection with allegations he withdrew funds from a custodial account tied to the family. No one was ever charged in connection with Barbara's Hamburg's killing. An autopsy found that she died of blunt force trauma and stab wounds. The Madison Police Department investigated the death with assistance from the Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Squad and the State of Connecticut Division of Scientific Services Forensic Science Laboratory. 'Madison Police have devoted countless hours and resources to the investigation and continue to vigorously pursue any leads,' DCJ officials wrote. Barbara's Hamburg's killing became the subject of the HBO miniseries 'Murder on Middle Beach' after her son, Madison Hamburg, began investigating his mother's death as part of a college project. He directed the series. The making of the documentary led to a battle over the records tied to the police investigation after the Madison Police Department appealed a ruling ordering them to turn over everything they had on the case. The decision was eventually appealed to the Connecticut Supreme Court which ruled that the department, in order to withhold the records, needed to show that an arrest or prosecution was 'at least reasonably possible.' Anyone with information on Barbara Hamburg's death has been asked to contact Madison police at 203-245-6500.
