PRESS RELEASE
October 24, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO
Law enforcement agencies throughout Gloucester County and New Jersey will again be accepting drop-offs of expired or unwanted prescription medications on Saturday (10/29) in what is now a three-year effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous drugs that are diverted from their intended use and abused.
All Gloucester County police departments, the county sheriff’s Office and the Rowan University Police Department will staff collection locations for “Operation Take Back New Jersey” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Collection locations can be found by going to the Web site www.dea.gov and clicking on the “Got Drugs?” banner.
Last April, Americans turned in 188 tons of prescription medicines at nearly 5,400 sites.
More than seven million Americans abuse prescription drugs, according to a 2009 federal survey. A majority of those drugs come from family or friends, some taken without permission from medicine cabinets.
Federal regulations are now being drafted to implement the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, allowing individuals and long-term care facilities to surrender prescriptions drugs to authorized entities. Until the rules are in place, the US Drug Enforcement Administration plans to partner with local agencies on additional take-back events.
“Prescription drugs that relieve pain have become the drug of choice to abuse, especially with young people,” said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton. “Please take advantage of Saturday’s opportunity to make your homes and communities safer by placing unwanted medicines in responsible hands.”
“It is important that parents are aware of what is inside their medicine cabinets and to safely dispose of potentially dangerous prescription medicine,” said Gloucester County Freeholder-Director Robert M. Damminger. “Take a few minutes to drop off unused, unwanted or expired medicines to law enforcement officials in your town.”
Monday, October 24, 2011
Sewell Man Admits Theft in Solar Panel Job
PRESS RELEASE
October 17 , 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO
Albert R. Coccia Jr. (DOB 11/1/69) of 24 Marni Ct., Sewell NJ pleaded guilty today (10/17) to a charge of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, admitting he received a $12,000 deposit to install solar panels on the roof of a Deptford home in 2009 and never did the installation.
As a result of the negotiated plea to the third-degree crime, Assistant Gloucester County Prosecutor Joseph Brook will recommend that Coccia be sentenced to probation, with the number of years to be at the sentencing judge’s discretion, and that he make restitution to the victim.
“You did accept a check for $12,000?” asked Superior Court Judge M. Christine Allen-Jackson. “That is correct, yes,” said Coccia. “We never got to put the system in.” Coccia said state delays in the way rebate forms were to be filed held up the job. He also said codefendant Matthew J. Milano, of Philadelphia, was an independent contractor for Solar World, Coccia’s firm, and did not have control of the funds received.
Judge Allen-Jackson scheduled sentencing for Dec. 16.
October 17 , 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO
Albert R. Coccia Jr. (DOB 11/1/69) of 24 Marni Ct., Sewell NJ pleaded guilty today (10/17) to a charge of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, admitting he received a $12,000 deposit to install solar panels on the roof of a Deptford home in 2009 and never did the installation.
As a result of the negotiated plea to the third-degree crime, Assistant Gloucester County Prosecutor Joseph Brook will recommend that Coccia be sentenced to probation, with the number of years to be at the sentencing judge’s discretion, and that he make restitution to the victim.
“You did accept a check for $12,000?” asked Superior Court Judge M. Christine Allen-Jackson. “That is correct, yes,” said Coccia. “We never got to put the system in.” Coccia said state delays in the way rebate forms were to be filed held up the job. He also said codefendant Matthew J. Milano, of Philadelphia, was an independent contractor for Solar World, Coccia’s firm, and did not have control of the funds received.
Judge Allen-Jackson scheduled sentencing for Dec. 16.
Armed Robbery Conviction, 18 year Sentence Affirmed
PRESS RELEASE
October 12 , 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO
A New Jersey appeals court today (10/12) affirmed the 2008 armed robbery conviction and 18-year prison sentence of Richard R. Gardner (DOB 9/22/81), of Glassboro NJ, rejecting defense claims of judicial error and prosecutorial misconduct at Gardner’s trial.
While also upholding Gardner’s conviction for possession of a weapon by a felon, the appellate judges ordered a resentencing of the defendant to merge guilty verdicts on conspiracy, theft, assault and weapons possession counts into the armed robbery conviction. The total 18-year sentence remains unchanged.
Gardner and co-defendant Omar Rhodes (5/6/82), of Elmer NJ, were charged with threatening a 40-year-old man with a knife and punching him in the face before robbing him of cash in Franklinville NJ on May 3, 2006. The victim identified the license tag of the getaway car in a 911 call moments after the incident.
“Our case was not a case where ‘egregious’ errors deprived the defendant of a fair trial,” Assistant Gloucester County Prosecutor Joseph Enos wrote in a brief submitted to the appeals panel. “In our case, the person who committed the robbery was convicted. That’s a just result.”
Claims that the judge allowed impermissible testimony and the prosecutor elicited prejudicial comments from a witness were found to be “unpersuasive” and “unobjectionable,” the appeals court wrote.
October 12 , 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO
A New Jersey appeals court today (10/12) affirmed the 2008 armed robbery conviction and 18-year prison sentence of Richard R. Gardner (DOB 9/22/81), of Glassboro NJ, rejecting defense claims of judicial error and prosecutorial misconduct at Gardner’s trial.
While also upholding Gardner’s conviction for possession of a weapon by a felon, the appellate judges ordered a resentencing of the defendant to merge guilty verdicts on conspiracy, theft, assault and weapons possession counts into the armed robbery conviction. The total 18-year sentence remains unchanged.
Gardner and co-defendant Omar Rhodes (5/6/82), of Elmer NJ, were charged with threatening a 40-year-old man with a knife and punching him in the face before robbing him of cash in Franklinville NJ on May 3, 2006. The victim identified the license tag of the getaway car in a 911 call moments after the incident.
“Our case was not a case where ‘egregious’ errors deprived the defendant of a fair trial,” Assistant Gloucester County Prosecutor Joseph Enos wrote in a brief submitted to the appeals panel. “In our case, the person who committed the robbery was convicted. That’s a just result.”
Claims that the judge allowed impermissible testimony and the prosecutor elicited prejudicial comments from a witness were found to be “unpersuasive” and “unobjectionable,” the appeals court wrote.
Rowan Class Reports on '07 Farrell Murder
PRESS RELEASE
October 11, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO
As the fourth anniversary of the unsolved murder of Rowan University sophomore Donald Farrell III approaches, a class of 10 university journalism students is looking at his life and death on their campus.
Their semester of research and writing will eventually form the content of a Web site about Farrell and perhaps stir some social media exchanges about the slaying, helping to keep attention on a case still under investigation, by detectives from the Rowan Police Department and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office.
“Our goal for the class is pretty simple,” said adjunct instructor Amy Z. Quinn. “We’re telling Donny’s story.”
Farrell, a 19-year-old from Morris County NJ was walking with friends on Old Heston Road near Rowan’s Triad Apartments on the Saturday night of Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 27, 2007. He was approached by four or five males who asked for directions to a party. In what detectives believe was a random act, Farrell suffered blows to the head and neck. The assailants fled with his wallet. He died the next day from a ruptured artery in the neck.
Meeting with the students last month, GCPO and Rowan officers still working on the case said it has taken on a personal quality, from knowing the victim and continuing contacts with his family. “It’s a case we want solved,” said Rowan Det. Kevin Fenall.When fresh tips come in, current work is put aside and the new leads are investigated, Fennal said.
Former interview subjects are re-interviewed “just to keep it out there,” said GCPO Lt. Langdon Sills. They have worked with several other counties and the FBI’s Violent Crimes task Force, he added, and several experts were called on to enhance a convenience store video of one suspect. The officers tracked down more than 20 North Jersey/New York stores that sold the distinctive Coogie hoodie the suspect wore.
“We’ve done a lot,” Sills told the students. “It’s not enough, but we’re not going to stop.”
“We will continue to actively pursue this case until the persons responsible are held accountable for their actions,” said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton. “The more Donnie’s story is told, the better our chances of receiving information that will help solve this case and bring his family some sense of closure.”
Anyone with information about participants in the attack that caused the death of Donald Farrell III is asked to phone the GCPO at (856) 384- 5604, the Rowan PD at (856) 256-4564 or leave an anonymous tip by texting GLOTIP plus the message and CRIMES (274637). A $100,000 reward has been offered for information leading to arrest and conviction in the case.
October 11, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO
As the fourth anniversary of the unsolved murder of Rowan University sophomore Donald Farrell III approaches, a class of 10 university journalism students is looking at his life and death on their campus.
Their semester of research and writing will eventually form the content of a Web site about Farrell and perhaps stir some social media exchanges about the slaying, helping to keep attention on a case still under investigation, by detectives from the Rowan Police Department and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office.
“Our goal for the class is pretty simple,” said adjunct instructor Amy Z. Quinn. “We’re telling Donny’s story.”
Farrell, a 19-year-old from Morris County NJ was walking with friends on Old Heston Road near Rowan’s Triad Apartments on the Saturday night of Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 27, 2007. He was approached by four or five males who asked for directions to a party. In what detectives believe was a random act, Farrell suffered blows to the head and neck. The assailants fled with his wallet. He died the next day from a ruptured artery in the neck.
Meeting with the students last month, GCPO and Rowan officers still working on the case said it has taken on a personal quality, from knowing the victim and continuing contacts with his family. “It’s a case we want solved,” said Rowan Det. Kevin Fenall.When fresh tips come in, current work is put aside and the new leads are investigated, Fennal said.
Former interview subjects are re-interviewed “just to keep it out there,” said GCPO Lt. Langdon Sills. They have worked with several other counties and the FBI’s Violent Crimes task Force, he added, and several experts were called on to enhance a convenience store video of one suspect. The officers tracked down more than 20 North Jersey/New York stores that sold the distinctive Coogie hoodie the suspect wore.
“We’ve done a lot,” Sills told the students. “It’s not enough, but we’re not going to stop.”
“We will continue to actively pursue this case until the persons responsible are held accountable for their actions,” said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton. “The more Donnie’s story is told, the better our chances of receiving information that will help solve this case and bring his family some sense of closure.”
Anyone with information about participants in the attack that caused the death of Donald Farrell III is asked to phone the GCPO at (856) 384- 5604, the Rowan PD at (856) 256-4564 or leave an anonymous tip by texting GLOTIP plus the message and CRIMES (274637). A $100,000 reward has been offered for information leading to arrest and conviction in the case.
Man Sentenced in Glassboro Armed Robberies
PRESS RELEASE
October 7, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO
Marq D. Peet (DOB 1/27/91) of Mt. Royal, was sentenced today (10/7) to five years in state prison for two armed robberies he admitted committing with a BB gun in Glassboro in September 2010.
“This is a classic tragedy of impulse and impetuousness,” Assistant Gloucester County Prosecutor Joseph Brook said after an aunt Peet lived with told the sentencing judge his first indictable offense was tied to the “bad influence” of older acquaintances.
Peet was arrested shortly after the 9/2/10 robbery at gunpoint of a man near the Landmark restaurant in Glassboro and, minutes later, the robbery of two men in the parking lot of a nearby convenience store. Wallets and cell phones were taken.
Peet’s lawyer argued for leniency based on the argument that his use of a pellet gun did not contemplate a serious threat. Judge M .Christine Allen-Jackson disagreed. Victims faced with an unknown firearm “could have had a heart attack,” the judge said.
Peet will have to serve four years, three months and one day on the second-degree robbery charge he pleaded guilty to on July 25 before he can seek parole. Jail time since his arrest is deducted. Charges against a codefendant, Tyreek James, of Mt. Royal, were dismissed today. Peet testified James was not present during the robberies.
October 7, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bernie Weisenfeld- PIO
Marq D. Peet (DOB 1/27/91) of Mt. Royal, was sentenced today (10/7) to five years in state prison for two armed robberies he admitted committing with a BB gun in Glassboro in September 2010.
“This is a classic tragedy of impulse and impetuousness,” Assistant Gloucester County Prosecutor Joseph Brook said after an aunt Peet lived with told the sentencing judge his first indictable offense was tied to the “bad influence” of older acquaintances.
Peet was arrested shortly after the 9/2/10 robbery at gunpoint of a man near the Landmark restaurant in Glassboro and, minutes later, the robbery of two men in the parking lot of a nearby convenience store. Wallets and cell phones were taken.
Peet’s lawyer argued for leniency based on the argument that his use of a pellet gun did not contemplate a serious threat. Judge M .Christine Allen-Jackson disagreed. Victims faced with an unknown firearm “could have had a heart attack,” the judge said.
Peet will have to serve four years, three months and one day on the second-degree robbery charge he pleaded guilty to on July 25 before he can seek parole. Jail time since his arrest is deducted. Charges against a codefendant, Tyreek James, of Mt. Royal, were dismissed today. Peet testified James was not present during the robberies.
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