Tag: Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal

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Lawyer and Elder Law Radio Host Indicted on Charges He Stole $1.9 Million from Elderly Clients

robert novy1

May 8,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ,  Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a prominent Ocean County attorney who hosted a radio show and taught seminars on elder law was indicted today on charges that he stole approximately $1.9 million from elderly clients. The victims generally did not have close relatives to guard their interests and in some cases suffered from dementia.

The Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau obtained a 10-count state grand jury indictment charging Robert Novy, 66, of Brick, N.J., with the following crimes:
Theft by Unlawful Taking (2nd Degree – Two Counts)
Misapplication of Entrusted Property (2nd Degree – Three Counts)
Theft by Deception (2nd Degree – One Count)
Money Laundering (1st Degree – Two Counts)
Money Laundering (2nd Degree – Two Counts)

The charges are the result of an ongoing investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau, assisted by the New Jersey Division of Taxation Office of Criminal Investigation. The case was referred to the Division of Criminal Justice by Ocean County Surrogate Jeffrey W. Moran. Novy also was investigated by the New Jersey Office of Attorney Ethics, which issued an ethics complaint against him on Jan. 26, 2016, and assisted the Division of Criminal Justice.

As an expert in elder law, Novy hosted a bi-monthly radio program “Inside the Law,” which focused on topics of concern to senior citizens. He was arrested on Oct. 18, 2016. Detectives executed a search warrant at his firm, Novy & Associates, on Ridgeway Avenue in Manchester, seizing billing records and other evidence. The Attorney General’s Office obtained court orders freezing over $3.5 million in assets held by Novy and his firm and appointing a trustee to oversee the firm’s business operations.

“Novy allegedly stole nearly $2 million from vulnerable clients, preying on seniors who were frail and isolated and who trusted him as their attorney to guard their life savings,” said Attorney General Grewal. “It is hard to imagine a more callous personal and professional betrayal.”

“We allege that Novy systematically drained his clients’ assets, laundering funds through various bank accounts and charging unauthorized fees to enrich himself and his firm,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “We urge anyone with relevant information about Novy and his handling of client funds to contact our office.”

The indictment alleges that from 2009 through 2016, Novy stole approximately $1.9 million from six elderly clients. The investigation is ongoing, and the Division of Criminal Justice is looking at numerous additional suspicious financial transactions involving funds of other clients of Novy.

The investigation revealed that Novy allegedly stole funds from elderly and deceased clients who often did not have a close relative to claim their estate or challenge Novy’s actions. He allegedly used the stolen funds for his own benefit, paying personal and business expenses. Novy gained control through wills, powers of attorney, and trust documents, making himself the sole financial decision-maker for the clients. When clients had sizeable assets in the form of an annuity or life insurance policy, Novy allegedly directed insurance companies to redeem the policies and send the money directly to him. In some cases, when challenged by trustees or relatives about particular funds that had been withdrawn from client accounts, Novy claimed they were “administrative errors” and repaid the funds.
The indictment alleges that Novy engaged in three different schemes by which he stole funds from the six clients:
In one scheme, Novy is alleged to have simply transferred funds from his clients’ personal bank accounts or from his clients’ liquidated personal assets into his own bank account. Novy allegedly stole $322,342 from four of the six victims through this criminal scheme.

In the second scheme, Novy allegedly transferred funds from his clients’ personal accounts or liquidated assets into IOLTA (Interest on Lawyer Trust Account) sub-accounts that he controlled. The powers of attorney executed by the victims legally required Novy to place their assets into independent trust funds selected by the victims that would manage their assets, so the act of placing the funds into accounts that he controlled constituted a theft by Novy. It is alleged that Novy stole $929,026 from three of the six victims through this criminal scheme.

In the third scheme, Novy allegedly transferred client funds from various accounts – including the clients’ personal accounts, the clients’ IOLTA sub-accounts, or the firm’s attorney trust account – into the firm’s operating and disbursement accounts. Novy allegedly excessively billed the clients for power of attorney fees without any supporting invoices. Novy allegedly stole $659,457 from three of the six victims through this criminal scheme.
The money laundering counts allege that Novy engaged in transactions involving the stolen funds and the various accounts – primarily his attorney trust accounts and/or attorney business accounts – through which he concealed the source of the stolen funds and used them to promote his criminal activities.

Novy allegedly stole $1.9 million from the following six victims – all residents of Ocean County, N.J. – and/or their estates:
Brick Township woman who died in 2015 at age 88. Alleged theft: approximately $738,457.
Manchester Township woman who suffered from dementia and died in 2014 at age 87. Alleged theft: approximately $650,700.
Brick Township woman who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and died in 2013 at age 85. Alleged theft: approximately $242,305.
Manchester Township woman who currently is 98. Alleged theft: approximately $130,000.
Point Pleasant woman who suffered from dementia and died in 2015 at age 87. Alleged theft: approximately $103,843.
Waretown woman who died in 2013 at age 85 (and her husband who died in 2011 at age 92). Alleged theft: approximately $45,520.

The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Mary C. Jacobson in Mercer County, who assigned the case to Ocean County, where Novy will be ordered to appear in court at a later date for arraignment.

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Ex-Motor Vehicle Commission Clerk Pleads Guilty and Faces Prison for Selling Drivers Licenses from Lodi MVC

MVC

April 17,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Lodi NJ,  Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a former New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission clerk pleaded guilty today to operating a scheme in which he accepted tens of thousands of dollars in payments in return for allowing over 200 people to obtain permits and licenses without passing required exams.

Rodman Lora, 39, of Ridgewood, N.Y., a former clerk at the Lodi MVC Agency, pleaded guilty today to charges of conspiracy (2nd degree), computer criminal activity (2nd degree), and tampering with public records (3rd degree) before Superior Court Judge James J. Guida in Bergen County. The state will recommend that Lora be sentenced to seven years in state prison, including two years and four months of parole ineligibility. He must forfeit his pension and will be permanently barred from public employment. Lora was charged in an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation revealed that Lora altered MVC driver records for over 200 people between 2014 and 2016, enabling them to obtain various permits and licenses without having passed the mandatory written and/or driving exams, including commercial driver’s licenses with school bus and HazMat endorsements. In return, he received cash payments averaging over $700 per license or permit.

The following two men were indicted with Lora and pleaded guilty today before Judge Guida to tampering with public records (3rd degree):
Luis Tiburcio, 46, of Passaic, N.J., was paid to act as a “runner” for Lora and bring him customers in the illegal scheme. The state will recommend that he be sentenced to three years in state prison.
Masood Ahmadi, 55, of Lake Hiawatha, N.J., is the owner of Ideal Transportation, a school bus company operating in northern New Jersey. He sent people seeking commercial driver’s licenses to Lora to obtain licenses through the scheme, including relatives and persons seeking employment with his company. The state will recommend that he be sentenced to probation.

Deputy Attorney General Christopher J. Keating prosecuted the defendants and took the guilty pleas for the Division of Criminal Justice. Sentencing for the defendants is scheduled for June 15.
“When motor vehicle clerks engage in fraud involving driver’s credentials, public safety is compromised,” said Attorney General Grewal. “It is particularly alarming that school bus drivers were being licensed illegally. My office will aggressively prosecute the illegal brokering and sale of driver’s licenses.”

“We will continue to work with the MVC to protect the public by identifying and charging those who engage in this type of fraud,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Through this far-reaching investigation, we charged 70 people, including numerous customers of this illicit scheme.”

“The MVC does not tolerate any type of criminal activity whatsoever, either from customers or employees,” said Acting MVC Chair and Chief Administrator Sue Fulton. “This case is a prime example of our efforts to weed out fraud and abuse, enhancing security throughout the entire organization. We will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to ensure the quality and integrity of our motor vehicle services, and the safety of New Jersey drivers.”
Nine defendants were indicted with Lora, including the two who pleaded guilty today and seven others. Two previously pleaded guilty to tampering with public records and face sentences of probation: Carlos Vicuna, 37, of Elizabeth, N.J., was a “runner” for the scheme, and Jose Lora, 45, of Newark, N.J., Lora’s brother, received a commercial driver’s license without passing the written exam. Charges are pending against one defendant and four others were admitted into the Pre-Trial Intervention Program.

Beyond the indictment charging those 10 defendants, the investigation led to charges against 60 other customers and runners, bringing the total defendants to 70. Eight of those 60 pleaded guilty to tampering with public records and face probation, and 52 were admitted into the Pre-Trial Intervention Program.

Deputy Attorney General Christopher Keating presented the indictment to the state grand jury for the Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau. The investigation was conducted by Detective Cecil Boone, Sgt. Kelly Howard, Detective Jessica Marcacci and Analyst Terri Drumm, under the supervision of Sgt. Andrea Salvatini, Lt. Bill Newsome, Deputy Bureau Chief Andrew Johns, Deputy Bureau Chief Jacqueline Smith, and Division of Criminal Justice Deputy Director Jill Mayer.

The Motor Vehicle Commission uncovered the alleged scheme involving Lora and referred the case to the Division of Criminal Justice after an initial internal investigation and audit. Attorney General Grewal thanked the Motor Vehicle Commission’s Division of Security, Investigations & Internal Audit for its referral and valuable assistance. He also thanked the following agencies that assisted in the investigation: Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey Department of Education, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, New Jersey Department of Treasury-Division of Payroll, Lodi Police Department, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

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Attorney General and Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control Announce New Booze Task Force

booze

April 10,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (“ABC”) today announced the formation of a task force to provide municipal police officers with hands-on experience spotting signs of organized crime in their local bars, investigating and shutting down problem servers, and enforcing other alcoholic beverage control laws that help protect the quality of life for New Jersey residents.
The ABC Task Force will invite municipal police officers from around the state to sign up for year-long stints working alongside investigative personnel from the ABC and the Division of Criminal Justice (“DCJ”) as they oversee compliance among the more than 9,000 licensees who manufacture, distribute, sell, and serve alcoholic beverages in the state.

ABC Task Force members will receive specialized training in ABC policies, procedures, and techniques, and gain hands-on experience in identifying and investigating liquor law violations ranging from selling untaxed alcohol and serving underage patrons, to hidden criminal interests among liquor license holders and organized crime activities in bars and clubs.

“When alcoholic beverage control laws are broken, communities suffer the consequences in the form of public disturbances, tragic accidents, and the presence of undesirable criminal elements. The ABC has long relied on municipal police departments as critical allies in enforcing its laws in every city, suburb, and rural community across the state,” said Attorney General Grewal. “The ABC Task Force will strengthen and expand these important partnerships by providing local officers with in-depth training and experience to better identify, investigate, and take action against licensees whose illegal activities wreak havoc on their communities.”

The announcement of the ABC Task Force comes on the heels of the ABC’s successful collaborations with municipal police departments during annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations this year.

On March 3, the ABC dispatched 14 officers to help the Hoboken Police Department keep a lid on disorderly behavior during the city’s annual St. Patrick’s-themed bar crawl known as “LepreCon.” The yearly event, and its Christmas-themed predecessor “SantaCon,” have drawn fierce criticism from Hoboken residents and elected officials who say the day-long celebration draws unruly crowds to the city and inevitably devolves into drunken chaos fraught with street brawls, public urination, and alcohol-related medical emergencies that tie up police and emergency personnel.

This year, ABC officials met with Hoboken police prior the event to discuss ways to apply and enforce the state’s liquor laws to cut down on disruptive behavior. During the event ABC officers worked alongside officers from the Hoboken Police Department’s Alcohol Beverage Control Unit to monitor bars and other establishments for compliance with laws prohibiting the admission of underage guests, serving intoxicated patrons, exceeding occupancy limits, and other health and security violations.

As a result, this year’s LepreCon was, by all accounts, a calmer, more orderly event. Calls for police service dropped 21 percent from the year before, fewer individuals required transport to the hospital, and just four people were arrested, a significant decrease from the 11 arrests the year before.

The day after LepreCon, the ABC sent 13 officers to Belmar to help local police there maintain order during the town’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, one of the largest in the state. The ABC’s presence at the event has been credited by the town as helping to sharply reduce disorderly conduct during the day-long parade and celebration.

“Our work with local police departments during this year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations represent the kind of cooperative partnerships we’re looking to promote through our ABC Task Force,” said David Rible, Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. “ABC officers can’t be everywhere at once. By providing local officers with in-depth training in applying and enforcing our laws in their towns, we’re putting additional boots on the ground to help us promote the responsible use of alcohol, while maintaining a fair regulatory environment for the industry.”

Acting under the direction of the ABC, the ABC Task Force will be comprised of approximately 20 members – eight ABC investigators, nine DCJ detectives assigned to the ABC, and three municipal police officers representing departments from the north, south, and central sections of the state.

Under the ABC Task Force, municipal officers will:

Be provided with a working knowledge of New Jersey’s alcoholic beverage control laws and administrative regulations.
Become familiar with the ABC’s current investigative techniques.
Conduct detailed financial investigations to uncover undisclosed interests, illegal activity, tax, and record-keeping violations of ABC licensees.
Investigate complaints involving alleged violations of NJ alcoholic beverage laws and/or administrative regulations.
Learn how to conduct a background investigation on liquor license applicants to determine if applicants meet the requirements to hold a NJ liquor license.
Become familiar with how to hold municipal disciplinary hearings to address allegations of violation among licensees.
Conduct special projects and assignments deemed necessary at the request of the Director of the ABC.

The ABC is currently accepting applications for its first ABC Task Force, which is scheduled to begin training in April. Police departments interested in participating in the ABC Task Force should submit a letter of interest to Director David Rible by April 23, 2018.

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NJ Police Officers Now Subject to Random Drug Testing

Piss Test

 

March 26,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

TRENTON NJ,  Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced the following new law enforcement policies designed to identify and address problematic behavior and illegal drug use by police officers:

Random Drug Testing Policy – Attorney General Directive 2018-2 establishes a uniform policy requiring all law enforcement agencies statewide to conduct mandatory random drug testing of all sworn officers and requires that officers who test positive for illegal drug use must be suspended immediately from all duties pending termination of their employment.

Early Warning Systems Policy – Attorney General Directive 2018-3 establishes a uniform policy requiring all law enforcement agencies statewide to establish early warning systems to identify officers at risk for harmful behavior and mandate remedial programs for them before their conduct escalates.

The Attorney General’s Office developed both of these policies in close collaboration with stakeholders, including law enforcement leaders, community leaders, and advocacy groups. Indeed, the new statewide policies improve upon and standardize protocols that a great number of law enforcement agencies have already implemented as part of their efforts to not only improve officer and public safety, but also the public’s confidence in law enforcement.
“For our police to perform their jobs effectively, they need the trust of all of the communities they serve,” said Attorney General Grewal. “These policies promote that trust by assuring the public that police are going to be proactive in addressing internal problems. A majority of our police departments already have implemented random drug testing and early warning systems to identify at-risk officers, but these directives make these important programs universal in New Jersey. We support our officers in their difficult jobs, and at times that means intervening with a troubled officer to protect the public, the individual officer, and his or her fellow officers.”
“These are commonsense policies to promote safety and build trust in police-community relations,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Police officers are granted extraordinary authority to protect us and enforce our laws, including authority to use lethal and non-lethal force, and we must ensure that those who wield such power are individuals of sound mind, body and judgment. An officer who uses illegal drugs or has repeatedly shown poor judgment cannot be trusted to make rational decisions and exercise appropriate discretion.”

Random Drug Testing
Testing of law enforcement officers in New Jersey for illegal drug use is governed by the Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Drug Testing Policy (“AG Drug Testing Policy”). That policy was established in 1986 and has been regularlyreviewed and updated over the years. The AG Drug Testing Policy already included a requirement that applicants and trainees be tested, and that individual officers be tested when there is reasonable suspicion that they are using drugs illegally. That does not change under the new directive.

With respect to random drug testing, the policy previously encouraged such testing, but did not require it. The new directive issued by Attorney General Grewal, Directive 2018-2, amends the AG Drug Testing Policy to require, at a minimum, that every police agency in New Jersey conduct random drug testing at least once in 2018, and at least twice in every subsequent calendar year, and that at least 10 percent of the officers within an agency be tested each time. Each agency must ensure that its random drug testing policy is consistent with the procedures set forth in the AG Drug Testing Policy.
The AG Drug Testing Policy is found at this link: www.nj.gov/oag/dcj/agguide/drugtest2012.pdf

In the event of (1) a positive drug test by an officer, (2) a refusal by an officer to take the drug test, or (3) administration of a reasonable suspicion drug test to an officer, the law enforcement agency’s chief executive or a designee shall provide a confidential written notice to the county prosecutor or a designee within 10 days. Upon completion of any disciplinary action, each agency shall report the discipline to the county prosecutor or designee.
Early Warning Systems

Early warning systems are designed to monitor officer conduct using objective measures that indicate a potentially escalating risk of harm to the public, the agency, and/or the officer. They are intended to increase public safety and public confidence, while assisting officers through early intervention. While such systems previously have been adopted by individual police departments and mandated by certain county prosecutors, Attorney General Grewal’s directive is the first statewide mandate that all police agencies in New Jersey must implement them.

Under Directive 2018-2, the following performance indicators are required to be included in all early warning systems:
Internal affairs complaints against the officer, whether initiated by another officer or by a member of the public;
Civil actions filed against the officer;
Criminal investigations of or criminal complaints against the officer;
Any use of force by the officer that is formally determined or adjudicated (for example, by internal affairs or a grand jury) to have been excessive, unjustified, or unreasonable;
Domestic violence investigations in which the officer is an alleged subject;
An arrest of the officer, including on a driving under the influence charge;
Sexual harassment claims against the officer;
Vehicular collisions involving the officer that are formally determined to have been the fault of the officer;
A positive drug test by the officer;
Cases or arrests by the officer that are rejected or dismissed by a court;
Cases in which evidence obtained by an officer is suppressed by a court;
Insubordination by the officer;
Neglect of duty by the officer;
Unexcused absences by the officer; and
Any other indicators, as determined by the agency’s chief executive.

Under the policy, if an officer engages in conduct involving three separate instances of performance indicators within any 12-month period, then the department’s early warning system review and intervention process will be triggered. If one incident triggers multiple performance indicators, that incident shall not be double- or triple-counted, but instead shall count as one performance indicator. The agency’s chief executive may, in his or her discretion, adopt additional performance indicators tailored to the department and the community it serves and determine that a lower number of performance indicators within a 12-month period will trigger the intervention process. Each department is required to adopt a tracking system to enable it to identify officers who display the requisite number of performance indicators necessary to trigger the early warning system review process.
The agency’s chief executive must assign personnel to conduct the early warning system function, typically members of the internal affairs unit. Supervisory officers in the subject officer’s chain of command also will be directly involved in any early warning system review process. Once an officer has displayed the requisite number of performance indicators necessary to trigger the review process, assigned supervisory personnel must initiate remedial action to address the officer’s behavior, which may include, but is not limited to, the following:

Training or re-training;
Counseling;
Intensive supervision;
Fitness-for-duty examination;
Employee Assistance Program referral; and
Any other appropriate remedial or corrective action.

Early warning system personnel must continue to monitor the subject officer for at least three months, or until the supervisor concludes that the officer’s behavior has been remediated, whichever is longer. Early warning systems generally are focused on corrective actions to remediate officer behavior and to provide assistance to the officer. They generally do not address disciplinary actions (to include termination of an officer) that might be warranted against an officer, which remain within the purview of the agency’s internal affairs function.

The agency’s chief executive must notify the county prosecutor in writing regarding any officer who triggers the early warning system, both at the initiation of the review process and upon completion of that process. The written notifications are to include information on the triggering performance indicators, the outcome of the review process, and the remedial steps planned/taken for the officer.
If any officer who is or has been subject to an early warning system review process applies to or accepts employment at a different law enforcement agency than the one where he or she underwent such process, it is the responsibility of the prior or current employing law enforcement agency to notify the subsequent employing law enforcement agency of the officer’s early warning system review process history and outcomes.

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Two Men Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Largest Seizure of Fentanyl in New Jersey History

Opioid Fentanyl

January 30,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that two men have been sentenced to prison in connection with a record-setting seizure last year by the New Jersey State Police of the super-potent synthetic opioid fentanyl. The seizure of 45 kilos of fentanyl – 40 kilos seized in North Bergen, together with five kilos seized in a related search in Willingboro – was the largest seizure ever in New Jersey.

Fentanyl is one of the deadliest opioids, with a potency that is 50 times greater than heroin. The 45 kilos – or nearly 100 pounds – of fentanyl seized by the New Jersey State Police in this investigation could have yielded over 18 million lethal doses, since a dose as small as 2 to 3 milligrams can be fatal.

The following two men pleaded guilty on Dec. 18 and were sentenced today and Wednesday, respectively, in Hudson County by Superior Court Judge Nesle A. Rodriguez:
Jesus Carrillo-Pineda, 31, of Philadelphia, Pa., was sentenced today to 10 years in state prison, including four years of parole ineligibility, on a charge of possession of heroin with intent to distribute (1st degree), and a concurrent sentence of seven years in prison on a charge of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute (2nd degree).
Daniel Vasquez, 28, of Somerton, Ariz., was sentenced on Wednesday, Jan. 24, to six years in state prison on a charge of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute (2nd degree).

“Many lives were undoubtedly saved as a result of this record-setting fentanyl seizure by the New Jersey State Police,” said Attorney General Grewal. “The 100 pounds of fentanyl trafficked into our state by these drug dealers could have generated enough lethal doses to kill the entire populations of New Jersey and New York City combined. Because dealers use this super-potent opioid to boost heroin and create counterfeit oxy pills, drug users are left to play a deadly game of Russian roulette each time they give way to their addiction.”

Attorney General Grewal added, “We’ll continue to fight the opioid epidemic on every front, by locking up major drug traffickers like these men, prosecuting crooked doctors who indiscriminately prescribe pain pills for profit, going after drug manufacturers who promote addiction through their illegal and mercenary marketing of opioids, deploying Narcan, and supporting drug treatment programs.”

“The 45 kilograms of fentanyl seized last year in this investigation brought home the scope of the problem we face in New Jersey with this highly lethal opioid,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Three years ago, fentanyl was found in only about 2 percent of the heroin tested by the State Police; by late last year, it was found in nearly one-third of the heroin tested.”

“A seizure of this magnitude, which had enough lethal doses to wipe out the entire population of New Jersey twice over, in all likelihood prevented someone from ever taking their first dose, saving them from a life of misery and addiction,” said Colonel Patrick Callahan, Acting Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “I am proud of the outstanding work of the State Police Trafficking North and South Units and our law enforcement partners who are deeply committed to fighting the opioid epidemic both on the streets and off.”

While it has been spotlighted for killing Prince and other celebrities, fentanyl also is responsible for a growing death toll in New Jersey, where there were 417 overdose deaths from fentanyl in 2015, and over 800 deaths from fentanyl in 2016. Dealers commonly mix fentanyl with heroin or cocaine, or sell it in powder compounds or counterfeit pills disguised as heroin, oxycodone or Xanax. Given the tiny size of a lethal dose, drug users are dying because dealers are careless about how much fentanyl they put in such mixes and pills. Fentanyl is so potent that medics and police have been sickened by contact with it while responding to overdoses or making arrests. In addition to fentanyl, seven fentanyl analogs have been sold on the street in New Jersey. The Attorney General’s Office issued an emergency order last year adding those fentanyl knockoffs to the list of drugs subject to the strictest level of state control.

In the investigation involving Carillo-Pineda and Vasquez, detectives of the New Jersey State Police Trafficking North Unit developed information that a shipment of drugs was being delivered to a location in North Bergen. On June 28, 2017, State Police detectives, assisted by members of the North Bergen Police Department, located and arrested Carrillo-Pineda and Vasquez in the parking lot of a business in North Bergen after observing a drug transaction in which the 40 kilograms of fentanyl were transferred from a tractor-trailer occupied by Vasquez and a second man to the trunk of a Mercedes Benz driven by Carrillo-Pineda. The man with Vasquez, Jesus Yanez-Martinez, also was arrested, but the charges against him were dismissed on Wednesday, Jan. 24. The State Police searched the trunk of the Mercedes and seized the 40 kilos of fentanyl, which were individually wrapped inside two black duffel bags. They also found a handbag containing $1,050 in cash and a small quantity of heroin in the car.

Carrillo-Pineda also was charged – along with Omar Zeus Rodriguez, 38, of Willingboro – in connection with the seizure the next day in Willingboro of five kilos of fentanyl, nearly 40 kilos of heroin, and a smaller quantity of methamphetamine. The drugs were seized by the State Police Trafficking South Unit at Rodriguez’s residence, where Carrillo-Pineda had been staying. Rodriguez was loading suitcases into a Range Rover outside his residence when he was approached by detectives. The drugs were found in the suitcases and an open Fed Ex box in the vehicle’s trunk. Rodriguez, who currently is a fugitive, faces charges that include possession of heroin with intent to distribute (1st degree), possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute (1st degree), and possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute (2nd degree).

Deputy Attorney General Norma Garcia is prosecuting the case for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau, under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Annmarie Taggart and Bureau Chief Lauren Scarpa Yfantis. Detective Sgt. Jeovanny Rodriguez was the lead detective for the investigation for the State Police Intelligence Section, Violent & Organized Crime Control Bureau North, Trafficking North Unit. Detective Garrett Cullen was the lead detective for the investigation for the State Police Intelligence Section, Violent & Organized Crime Control Bureau South, Trafficking South Unit. Attorney General Grewal commended the attorneys and all of the detectives and troopers who participated in the investigation for the State Police. He also thanked the North Bergen Police Department and Willingboro Police Department for their assistance.