'Best Birthday Ever': Jersey City's Barbara Matos Dies Days After Turning 55 'Best Birthday Ever': Jersey City's Barbara Matos Dies Days After Turning 55
'Best Birthday Ever': Jersey City's Barbara Matos Dies Days After Turning 55 Barbara Matos, a Jersey City resident, died on Saturday May 27, at the age of 55, according to her obituary. Matos had recently celebrated her birthday in Puerto Rico and said it was the best birthday ever, her obituary reads.  She is survived by her husband, Samuel, her three children, Antonio, Samuel and Christina and four grandchildren, according to her obituary. Yesterday, my friend Barbara Matos passed away. She took a piece of my heart with her. This woman was so full of life... Posted by Eve Medina on Sunday, May 28, 2023 Services were held at Riotto Funeral Home & Crematio…
2 Suspects Arrested, 1 Wanted For Triple Homicide At Lebanon Playground: DA 2 Suspects Arrested, 1 Wanted For Triple Homicide At Lebanon Playground: DA
2 Suspects Arrested, 1 Wanted For Triple Homicide At Lebanon Playground: DA Details have been released after four people who were shot near a Pennsylvania playground, including two young brothers whose bodies will be transported to Puerto Rico for burial. Jesus Perez-Salome, 8, Sebastian Perez- Salome, 9, and Joshua Lugo-Perez, 19, all of Lebanon have been identified as the victims of the deadly shooting near a home and a playground in the 400 block of North 5th Street around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.  UPDATE: The third suspected killer and his girlfriend have been arrested. You can read more about their arrests here.  Jesus died on the back porch of his …
Support Rises For Brothers Killed In Lebanon Shooting Support Rises For Brothers Killed In Lebanon Shooting
Support Rises For Brothers Killed In Lebanon Shooting Support is surging for two brothers who were fatally shot, along with a 19-year-old man and a 33-year-old man who was wounded, at a Lebanon playground on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. More than $2,800 had been raised as of Wednesday, May 31 for the family of Jesus Perez-Salome, 8, and Sebastian Perez-Salome, 9, on a GoFundMe page. Funds raised will go toward transporting the boys' bodies to Puerto Rico. The other victim who was killed was identified as Joshua Lugo-Perez, 19, and Luis Cancel, 33, was recovering at the hospital after surgery, officials said. The children were elementary …
'Operation Special Delivery': Berks Crew Smuggled $4M Of Cocaine Through The Mail, Police Say 'Operation Special Delivery': Berks Crew Smuggled $4M Of Cocaine Through The Mail, Police Say
'Operation Special Delivery': Berks Crew Smuggled $4M Of Cocaine Through The Mail, Police Say A dozen people face criminal charges in connection with an ongoing scheme to mail cocaine from Puerto Rico to Berks County, according to authorities.  During the course of "Operation Special Delivery," a task force of Berks detectives and federal agents seized roughly $4 million worth of cocaine from 19 packages sent through the US Postal Service, said county authorities in a release.  Eleven of the 12 suspects are currently in police custody, detectives said.  The investigation began last August when the Postal Inspector's Office found "kilogram quantities" of cocaine being regularly shi…
Drugs Through Mail: CT Man Who Admitted To Mailing Cocaine To Mom's House Gets 10 Years Drugs Through Mail: CT Man Who Admitted To Mailing Cocaine To Mom's House Gets 10 Years
Drugs Through Mail: CT Man Who Admitted To Mailing Cocaine To Mom's House Gets 10 Years A Connecticut man who pleaded guilty to shipping cocaine through the mail from Puerto Rico to his mother's house and several other residences will spend a decade in prison, federal authorities announced. New Haven resident Jean Mangual-Castro, age 35, of West Haven, admitted in September to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, according to the United States Attorney for Connecticut. A judge last week sentenced him to 10 years in prison followed by five years of probation.  Earlier report: West Haven…
US Marshals Capture NJ Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Teen Girl In Puerto Rico: Prosecutor US Marshals Capture NJ Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Teen Girl In Puerto Rico: Prosecutor
US Marshals Capture NJ Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Teen Girl In Puerto Rico: Prosecutor A 31-year-old Hudson County man accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2021 has been arrested in Puerto Rico, authorities said. Members of the US Marshals Puerto Rico Violent Fugitive Task Force captured Jose Alfredo Garcia on Wednesday, March 22, at approximately 7:50 p.m. in San German, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez. Garcia had been sought for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old female victim in Kearny on December 20, 2021. Following an investigation, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit charged Garcia with sexual assault, luring/entic…
$1.5M In Stolen Vehicles: Haverhill Man Admits Running Ring That Used Stolen IDs To Buy Cars $1.5M In Stolen Vehicles: Haverhill Man Admits Running Ring That Used Stolen IDs To Buy Cars
$1.5M In Stolen Vehicles: Haverhill Man Admits Running Ring That Used Stolen IDs To Buy Cars A 39-year-old Essex County man admitted to a wide-ranging scheme that involved buying cars and opening credit cards using stolen identities of US citizens living in Puerto Rico, federal authorities said. He potentially faces decades in prison.  Alvin Rivera, of Haverhill, pleaded guilty Monday, March 13, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and false representation of a Social Security number, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. A judge is set to sentence him in June.  Investigators said Rivera orchestrated the scheme with multiple pe…
PA Woman Missing For Over 30 Years Found Alive In Puerto Rico: Authorities PA Woman Missing For Over 30 Years Found Alive In Puerto Rico: Authorities
PA Woman Missing For Over 30 Years Found Alive In Puerto Rico: Authorities A missing street preacher from Pennsylvania has been "found alive and well" in Puerto Rico, authorities announced in a press conference on Thursday, March 2, 2023.  Patricia "Pat" Gail Kopta, had not been seen since June 20, 1992, and her husband Robert "Bob" Kopta reported her missing on Nov. 27 of that year, according to the police.  She had a history of mental health issues and had disappeared before, so although there were rumors of a mugging and her jewelry being stolen, the police say family and friends knew she was looking for mental health treatment and her disappearance "…
Texas Man Fled To Puerto Rico After Atlantic City Shooting Texas Man Fled To Puerto Rico After Atlantic City Shooting
Texas Man Fled To Puerto Rico After Atlantic City Shooting A 27-year-old fugitive from Katy, Texas, has been sentenced to 25 years in New Jersey State Prison for an Atlantic City shooting, authorities said. Frank Torres-Lopez was sentenced Friday, Feb. 24 for the Aug. 1, 2021 shooting of victim "J.F." outside the Los Compadres Bar. Torres-Lopez fled to Puerto Rico, dyed his hair orange, and obtained a fake Puerto Rican identification with a false alias, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office. He was ultimately apprehended by U.S. Marshals in October 2021. In December 2022, Torres-Lopez pleaded guilty to aggr…
Cocaine Shipped Through Mail: CT Man Busted After Picking It Up, Will Spend Years In Jail Cocaine Shipped Through Mail: CT Man Busted After Picking It Up, Will Spend Years In Jail
Cocaine Shipped Through Mail: CT Man Busted After Picking It Up, Will Spend Years In Jail A Meriden man will spend years in prison after picking up packages full of cocaine that were shipped through the US Postal Service. Jean Carlos Mercado, age 34, was sentenced on Friday, Feb. 10 to 50 months in prison for participating in a drug trafficking organization that sent kilogram quantities of cocaine through the US Mail, according to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut.  In October 2020, authorities identified several suspicious packages that were being mailed to an address in Meridan from Puerto Rico. On Oct. 26, 2020, Mercado was identified when he went …
Custom-Built Furniture Was Massachusetts Man's Method Of Smuggling Crack: Feds Custom-Built Furniture Was Massachusetts Man's Method Of Smuggling Crack: Feds
Custom-Built Furniture Was Massachusetts Man's Method Of Smuggling Crack: Feds A Springfield man could face life in prison for his role in a drug trafficking scheme that involved furniture to smuggle four tons of cocaine across international lines, federal officials said. Abel Montilla was convicted for his role in a drug trafficking organization that used custom-built furniture to ship cocaine from Puerto Rico to the United States between 2018 and 2021. The drugs were hidden in more than 70 pieces of cube-shaped coffee tables and other furniture, the US Attorney's Office of Southern New York said on Tuesday, Dec. 20. The organization also lied about the cocaine-pack…
Fentanyl, Cocaine Worth $4.3M Seized In Takedown Of Massive PA Drug Ring, DA Says Fentanyl, Cocaine Worth $4.3M Seized In Takedown Of Massive PA Drug Ring, DA Says
Fentanyl, Cocaine Worth $4.3M Seized In Takedown Of Massive PA Drug Ring, DA Says Nearly thirty people are facing criminal charges after authorities dismantled a "large-scale" operation that trafficked drugs from Mexico and Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania, with nearly $4.3 million worth of fentanyl and cocaine seized as evidence, authorities said. In an early-morning roundup on Thursday, Dec. 1, a total of 22 adults were taken into custody, said Berks District Attorney John T. Adams and Montgomery District Attorney Kevin R. Steele in a joint statement.  Posted by Berks County District Attorney on Thursday, December 1, 2022 Posted by Berks County District Attorney on T…