New Jersey Criminal Defense Blog

In a real world example of the FBI and local authorities finally “getting their man”, a former Roselle Park resident has been arrested on numerous charges more than a year after the alleged assault of a borough resident who surprised him in the midst of a burglary.

Neyad “Joe” Becaj, 38, has been charged with aggravated assault, robbery using force and other offenses. The charges stem from an incident on the evening of January 5, 2007, when a homeowner returned home in the midst of a burglary. The thief assaulted him with a kitchen chair, causing several contusions to the arms, ribs and upper body. Authorities allege that the thief was Mr. Becaj.

Continue reading "Suspect Arrested A Year After Robbery Incident" »

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Posted In: Theft/Shoplifting

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Over 14 ounces of cocaine, over 60 grams of marijuana, more then $25,000 in cash, 4 guns and 18 arrests were made in a coordinated pre-dawn raid that shut down a major drug distribution ring that shipped West Coast narcotics to sellers in New Jersey and Delaware. Additionally, three vehicles valued at $50,000 were seized. Police believe the money allegedly used to purchase these vehicles was derived from proceeds of criminal activity and used in the organization’s criminal enterprise.

The multi-state task force executed the search warrants simultaneously at about 5:00 am. Officials indicated that 13 arrests were made in Salem County, three additional arrests, including the suspected ringleader of the operation, were made in Delaware while two additional suspects were apprehended in California. The operation was the culmination of a six-month investigation of local and federal agents that involved drug crime agencies in New Jersey, California, and Delaware.

Continue reading "18 Arrests Made In National Drug Ring Bust" »

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Posted In: Drug Offenses

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In a move that will hopefully save lives in the future, the Department of Transportation and Logan Township have agreed to lower the speed limit on a dangerous mile-long stretch of Center Square Road from 45mph to 40mph. The change comes after a fatal New Jersey Auto accident claimed the life of a local teenager earlier this year.

The affected section of the road which runs between Township Line Road and Heron Drive passes through Logan, Woolwich and Swedesboro. Now that county freeholders have agreed to lower the limit, new signs should go up in a few days. Logan Township also recently approved an expenditure of $3,000 to improve lighting along the sidewalk near the roadway.

The move follows the tragic death of a 13 year old teenager who was struck in a fatal truck accident while crossing Center Square Road on January 3rd. Her parents attended a recent freeholder meeting and begged for a change. At that time, Gloucester County ordered a traffic study, which determined there was no evidence that excessive speed was a problem. The studies finding allowed the change to be made quickly.

Continue reading "Speed Limit To Be Cut In Response To Fatal Accident" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents

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This is an unusual story that draws concerns over the potential liability a motorist can face for injuring a passenger in a New Jersey auto accident, especially when the driver is a public servant performing duties at the time of the crash.

Sue Marie Podolski was arrested in the early morning hours of Oct. 30 after police responded to a dispute she was having with a friend. While she was strapped into the backseat of Cpl. Robert Riva’s police cruiser on her way to the police station, the automobile collided with a deer in Hunterdon County, leaving Podolski with an abrasion on her neck from her seat belt.

According to Podolski, however, the injury did not end with the abrasion. She is in constant pain and has had one shoulder surgery since the time of the auto accident, and is scheduled to have another very soon. She has filed a lawsuit against the officer and the Readington Township seeking monies to help pay for her medical costs. The suit claims that Officer Riva was negligent and that he should have avoided the animal in the October 2005 crash.

Continue reading "Ex-Suspect Sues Arresting Officer, Township Over Crash" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents

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In an excellent example of the strict liability laws that govern New Jersey Dog Bite attacks, a South Jersey News Online story published January 25th details the specifics of a case in which a dog attack ended with one of the canines being cannibalized by a neighboring dog.

According to investigators, Austin Hickman, the caretaker of an Akita puppy, left for a trip to Florida on Saturday. His mother claims he left the Akita puppy outside with food and water at the time of his departure. Authorities believe the puppy died some time after Mr. Hickman’s departure and was then, in turn, cannibalized by the neighboring Chow-mix. A neighbor claimed to see one of the Chows eating away at the Akita puppy shortly after noon on Wednesday. A representative from the SPCA stated that they believe the puppy was already dead when it was eaten by the Chow mix.

According to Bev Greco, director of the Cumberland County SPCA, charges were filed against the owners of the five Chow-mix dogs for failure to provide proper sustenance, veterinary care, confinement, and shelter for the dogs. Three of the five dogs were found to be in poor physical condition, including the one dog that was confiscated by police following the incident. Additionally, the caretaker of the puppy, and the caretaker's mother, would also be charged with abandonment, and failure to provide safe containment and proper sanitary conditions.

Continue reading "Millville Dog Owners To Face Charges After Dog Attack" »

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Posted In: Dog Bite

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Two New Jersey cardiologists who took nearly $900,000 through so-called “no-show” jobs at the New Jersey University of Medicine and Dentistry are facing $250,000 in fines and up to ten years in prison each for their embezzlement. The doctors, Bakul Desai, and Laxmipathi Garipalli, were each paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their jobs, which required them to do nothing whatsoever. Apparently, the doctors did nothing other than refer cardiac patients to the hospital.

No-show jobs and embezzlement are two illustrations of white-collar crimes that could lead to big penalties, incarceration, loss of professional licenses, and other damage to the reputation. Embezzlement occurs when an individual uses dishonest means to acquire money. In this case, the doctors were expected to perform an actual service in exchange for their salaries. They did not, but pocketed the money even though they never showed up to their high-powered jobs.

Continue reading "Embezzling Cardiologists Face Prison, Fines" »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense

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