East Orange NJ Homicide AttorneysA man accused of murdering his pregnant wife in East Orange NJ was recently denied in his bid to withdraw an earlier guilty plea.

The fatal incident occurred at the suspect’s East Orange residence in December 2013. The 36-year-old suspect allegedly strangled his 26-year-old wife during an argument about the paternity of her child. The suspect reportedly became enraged when the victim told him that he was not the baby’s father.

At the time of the victim’s death, she was nine months pregnant. Tragically, the unborn child also died as a result of the violent incident.

According to authorities, the suspect later admitted to investigators that he committed the homicide.

In March 2016, the suspect arrived at a plea agreement with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office: in exchange for the suspect pleading guilty to charges of aggravated manslaughter, prosecutors would recommend that he be sentenced to 16 years in New Jersey State Prison.

However, after reaching the deal with Essex County prosecutors, the suspect tried to withdraw his guilty plea. The suspect went before an Essex County Superior Court judge and argued that his defense attorney had failed to provide him with important documents and evidence before he agreed to the plea deal. The materials included crime scene photos, autopsy photos, an autopsy report, and a grand jury transcript.

During a recent court hearing, the suspect’s new attorney argued that his client “really could not make a knowing, intelligent decision” without having access to the withheld evidence.

The judge ultimately rejected that argument and said that the suspect clearly understood the terms of his plea deal. Moreover, said the Essex County judge, the suspect entered into the plea agreement knowingly and voluntarily.

For further information about this case, access the DailyRecord.com article, “Judge Won’t Let Man Withdraw Plea in Pregnant Wife’s Slaying.”

Newark NJ Marijuana Distribution AttorneysTravis Tormey and Christopher Perry of the Tormey Law Firm LLC recently defended a client who had been charged with two different felonies in Essex County Superior Court, which is located in Newark, NJ. One of these felonies was a serious drug crime, which meant that the client faced significant prison time – even though he had no prior criminal record. Additionally, the client’s career and future were in jeopardy because he had been suspended from his job with the Newark school system while the criminal charges remained unresolved.

The first charge that the client had to deal with was a criminal charge for child endangerment. The client had been accused of injuring a young child by bruising the boy’s eye. The child was his girlfriend’s son, but the girlfriend did not accuse him of causing the child’s injuries; it was her moth, the boy’s grandmother, who made the allegations against our client. Even though the grandmother had not actually been present while our client interacted with the child, she still claimed that he was responsible for the injuries. Meanwhile, the injured boy’s mother told authorities that our client did not cause the boy’s injuries.

Travis J. Tormey stood up for the client in Essex County Superior Court and argued that the child endangerment charges should be dismissed because the State lacked sufficient evidence to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. Mr. Tormey eventually managed to get the criminal charges against our client dismissed.

The second charge that the client needed to address was for marijuana distribution. Our client had been arrested and charged with distribution of marijuana after Newark law enforcement conducted a drug raid at a bodega that our client happened to be visiting. Our client had gone to the store on his lunch break because he wanted to visit his friend. Unfortunately for our client, in a prime example of “wrong place, wrong time,” Newark detectives assumed that a large quantity of marijuana found inside the store belong to him. The resulting charges against our client were very serious: if he was convicted of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, he faced a lengthy prison sentence.

Travis Tormey and his skilled legal team at the Tormey Law Firm talked to witnesses and highlighted crucial evidence that made it clear that our client was not a drug dealer. Another individual eventually came forward and admitted that the drugs inside the Newark bodega belonged to him. Our client was exonerated and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office dropped the charges against him.

Travis J. Tormey made countless appearances in courtrooms as he argued on behalf of the client. Mr. Tormey’s hard work eventually paid off when all of the criminal charges were dismissed. As a result, our client was allowed to maintain his job and avoid jail. This was an extremely positive outcome for the client and a hard-earned victory for the Tormey Law Firm.

Newark NJ Aggravated Assault ChargesNewark New Jersey police recently captured three shooting suspects, each of whom had been charged with aggravated assault in connection with different shooting incidents.

Remarkably, all three arrests were made on the same day.

The first suspect is a 23-year-old female who is accused of ordering a group of people to shoot someone at a home on the 300 block of Broadway in the Mount Pleasant section of Newark, New Jersey. She allegedly got into a verbal dispute with the victim in January 2016. As the argument got out of control, the suspect reportedly called several other individuals to the residence. When the other people showed up, they allegedly fired multiple gunshots at the victim.

The suspect was later placed under arrest and charged with aggravated assault for her alleged involvement in the shooting.

The second shooting suspect, a 55-year-old woman, is accused of firing gunshots at a person in December 2015. Newark NJ police later apprehended the suspect at a home on Clinton Avenue in Irvington, NJ. She was subsequently charged with aggravated assault.

The third suspect, an 18-year-old male, allegedly participated in a shooting on the 100 block of Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. The suspect was eventually identified and apprehended. He has been charged aggravated assault.

Detectives with the Newark Police Department are actively investigating all three shooting incidents. Depending on the findings of investigators, it’s possible that Essex County NJ prosecutors could file additional charges for weapons offenses.

For additional information about this case, check out the NJ.com article, “3 Arrested in Connection with Various Newark Shootings.”

Theft of Watch at Newark AirportPort Authority NJ police arrested a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer accused of stealing a high-priced watch from a passenger at Newark Liberty International Airport.

According to law enforcement, the 39-year-old suspect unlawfully removed a watch from a passenger’s bag while the suspect worked as a TSA agent. When the bag passed through a security screening at the Newark airport, multiple witnesses reportedly observed the suspect as he took a watch from the bag.

Port Authority NJ police officers later detained and then searched the suspect. During the search, police reportedly found an expensive watch in the pants pocket of the suspect’s TSA uniform. The watch, a Michele Deco brand model, is said to have a value of roughly $1,000.

The suspect, who is from Woodland Park, NJ, was placed under arrest at the Newark NJ airport and charged with theft of movable property.

If the suspect is eventually convicted of theft, he could face severe criminal penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3, a person who unlawfully takes someone else’s property valued at more than $500 can be charged with a third degree criminal offense. A conviction on third degree theft of movable property charges could result in a sentence of 3-5 years in New Jersey State Prison.

After being arrested and processed, the suspect secured his release from police custody on his own recognizance. He will be required to make an appearance in an Elizabeth NJ court to answer the criminal charges.

For additional information about this case, view the NJ.com article, “Newark TSA Agent Caught Swiping $1K Watch from Passenger’s Bag, Cops Say.”

East Orange NJ Restraining Order LawyersTravis Tormey and Christopher Perry of the Tormey Law Firm LLC recently represented a client facing a Final Restraining Order (FRO) in Essex County, NJ. As is typically the case with restraining order hearings in Essex County, NJ, the case was handled in the Family Division of the Essex County Superior Court in Newark, New Jersey. Harassment was listed as the basis for the FRO.

Since the basis for the restraining order was harassment, the client also had to appear in East Orange Municipal Court to answer criminal charges for harassment. The restraining order and the criminal charge stemmed from the same alleged incident, but the cases were set to be adjudicated in separate courtrooms and with two entirely different burdens of proof. This is not uncommon in NJ restraining order cases: sometimes a defendant can get a restraining order dismissed while being convicted on criminal charges, while other times a defendant can beat the criminal charges but get slapped with a permanent restraining order.

The client enlisted the Tormey Law Firm to help him contest the restraining order and fight the criminal charges. If the restraining order was granted, it would become permanent. So Mr. Perry approached the attorney for the alleged victim and negotiated a disposition, with both parties entering into what is known as a “civil restraint.” Under a civil restraint, each party agrees to avoid making any further contact with the other party. This was an important agreement for the client because it meant that he would not be subject to the requirements, burdens, and penalties associated with a restraining order. For example, the client would not have to be fingerprinted and have his identity placed in a database for domestic violence offenders. Beyond that, the client would not be prohibited from owning firearms in the future.

While working out an agreement with the plaintiff, Mr. Perry also persuaded her to drop the harassment charges in East Orange Municipal Court. When the client told East Orange NJ prosecutors that she did not want to move forward with the case, they dropped the criminal charges against the client.

Thanks to Mr. Perry’s hard work and strong negotiating skills, the client avoided being hit with a Final Restraining Order and he was able to avoid a criminal conviction for harassment. This was a very good result for the client and a major victory for the Tormey Law Firm.

Newark NJ Prostitution LawyersNewark NJ law enforcement recently conducted an undercover sting operation and arrested 10 men on prostitution-related charges.

Police made the arrests in the South Ward of Newark, New Jersey. Several Newark cops went undercover and posed as prostitutes as part of the sting operation. Several other Newark police officers conducted surveillance in the area and reportedly saw the suspects illegally soliciting sexual services from the undercover officers.

The Newark Police Department initiated the investigation after getting numerous complaints from area residents concerned about prostitutes selling sexual services near Frelinghuysen Avenue.

After the solicitation suspects were arrested, Newark police had their cars towed from the area.

Three of the suspects reside in Newark, NJ, while the other suspects live in Carteret, Edinburg, Flemington, Harrison, Kearney, Lake Hiawatha, and Maplewood.

All of the suspects face criminal charges for solicitation. If any of the suspects are ultimately convicted on the sex offense charges, they could be in store for significant penalties. Solicitation is classified as a disorderly persons offense and carries a potential penalty of up to six months in the county jail. Moreover, anyone who is convicted of solicitation in New Jersey could also be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law.

After the arrests were made, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose issued a statement and said that the Newark Police Department will not “tolerate” prostitution, solicitation, or any type of behavior that hurts local communities.

For more information about this case, read the NJ.com article, “Newark Police Arrest 10 Alleged ‘Johns’ in Undercover Prostitution Sting.”

Newark NJ Heroin Possession SuspectA Middletown New Jersey man was reportedly caught with a handgun, as well as large quantities of heroin and cocaine during a drug bust on a Newark NJ street.

According to Essex County officials, the 49-year-old suspect was seen by police officers as he sold illicit drugs near Davenport Avenue and North 11th Street in Newark, New Jersey.

Members of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office then approached the suspect and placed him under arrest.

A subsequent search of the suspect allegedly turned up large amounts of heroin and cocaine. Police also reportedly found the suspect in possession of a .25-caliber handgun.

The suspect faces several criminal charges, including unlawful possession of a weapon, a certain persons offense for being a felon illegally in possession of a handgun, possession of a weapon while committing a drug crime, heroin possession, and cocaine possession.

If the suspect is ultimately convicted on the most serious charges of illegal possession of a handgun, he would be subject to significant criminal penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(b), anyone found in possession of a handgun without a valid permit or license to carry can be charged with a second degree crime. A conviction on second degree illegal possession of a handgun charges could lead to a sentence of 5-10 years in NJ State Prison.

After being arrested and charged, the suspect was moved to the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark, New Jersey. He was being held there on a $75,000 bail amount.

For further information about this case, access the NJ.com article, “Delaware Man Arrested in Newark Drug Bust.”

Attempted Murder Suspect Arrested in Newark NJEssex County police recently apprehended a woman facing attempted murder charges in South Carolina.

According to law enforcement, the suspect brandished a handgun and fired a gunshot at a man in South Carolina on February 1. As a result of the shooting, the victim sustained significant wounds.

After the shooting incident, the suspect allegedly fled South Carolina and headed to New Jersey. The U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force investigated and tracked down the suspect in Newark NJ.

The suspect was placed under arrest as she emerged from a coffee shop near Broad Street and Thomas Street in Newark, New Jersey. Members of the federal task force were assisted by officers with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office.

The suspect, a 22-year-old female who lives in Lancaster, South Carolina, has been charged with attempted murder. Although the suspect will face significant criminal penalties in South Carolina, she would have faced similarly penalties had she been charged with attempted murder in New Jersey. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:5-4, a person who is found guilty of attempted murder or conspiracy to commit murder can be sentenced to 10-30 years in New Jersey State Prison.

After being arrested and charged, the suspect was remanded to the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark, NJ. She was being held at the jail until authorities could get the okay to extradite her back to South Carolina.

For additional information about this case, view the NJ.com article, “Fugitive Wanted on Attempted Murder Charges Arrested in Newark.”

Newark NJ Aggravated Assault ChargesNewark New Jersey police recently apprehended a local man who allegedly fired gunshots outside a residence last year.

The shooting incident went down in November 2015. According to law enforcement, the suspect used a handgun to fire multiple gunshots in the 200 block of South 11th Street in Newark, NJ. Thankfully, no one was hurt as a result of the shooting.

The Newark Police Department conducted an investigation into the shooting and eventually determined that the suspect was the likely culprit. Newark detectives tried to locate the suspect for several months but could not find him.

Police eventually found the suspect at a home on the 200 block of Littleton Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. Detectives with the Newark Police Department Fugitive Apprehension Team went to the residence and arrested the suspect.

Now the suspect, who used to be a star basketball player for Newark Central High School, has been charged with aggravated assault.

Additionally, the suspect has a pending criminal charge for robbery because he reportedly robbed a man who was shoveling snow in his home driveway in February 2014.

Beyond that, the former Newark NJ high school basketball player has pending criminal charges for heroin possession and cocaine possession because police allegedly found him in possession of multiple vials of heroin and cocaine while he walked along a Newark NJ street in December 2015.

The suspect is being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark on a $150K bail amount.

To learn more about this case, access the NJ.com article, “Former N.J. High School Basketball Standout Arrested in Shooting.”

Maplewood New Jersey Robbery SuspectMaplewood New Jersey police arrested a local man who allegedly used a knife to rob a teen and then injured a police officer while resisting arrest.

According to Maplewood NJ authorities, the suspect attacked a 17-year-old boy on Jacoby Street in Maplewood, NJ. Around 7:16 p.m., the victim dialed 911 and notified the Maplewood Police Department about the frightening incident.

The victim told police that he was walking on the sidewalk when the suspect approached him and asked if he could borrow his cell phone. Immediately after the victim loaned the suspect his cell phone, the suspect allegedly put the phone into his pocket and then flashed a kitchen knife.

The victim said that the suspect tried to stab him in the torso. Thankfully, the victim was able to fend off the attack and was not injured as a result of the violent incident.

Afterwards, the suspect reportedly fled the scene. Maplewood police officers canvassed the area in search of the suspect and eventually located him walking on Mill Road in Irvington, New Jersey.

When police officers approached the suspect, he reportedly tried to flee the scene. A scuffle ensued and one of the Maplewood police officers sustained a serious injury.

The suspect, a 23-year-old man who lives in Maplewood Township, was eventually subdued and arrested.

Police have charged the suspect with numerous crimes, including armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and resisting arrest.

Additionally, the suspect was charged with a drug crime because police allegedly found him in possession of illegal drugs.

If the suspect is ultimately convicted on the most serious charges of armed robbery, he would be subject to significant criminal penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1, anyone who uses a deadly weapon such as a knife or a handgun to commit a theft can be charged with a first degree felony. A conviction for second degree armed robbery could result in a sentence of 10-20 years in NJ State Prison.

After being placed under arrest and charged, the suspect was taken to the Essex County Jail in Newark, NJ.

For additional information about this case, access the NJ.com article, “Thief Tried to Stab Teen with Kitchen Knife, Cops Say.”