Franklin Township, NJ
Police & Fire
New Brunswick Man, 40, Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juveniles As Kids Played On Swing Set New Brunswick Man, 40, Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juveniles As Kids Played On Swing Set
New Brunswick Man, 40, Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juveniles As Kids Played On Swing Set A 40-year-old New Brunswick man touched a pair of juveniles at a backyard party in Somerset County while kids played on a swing set nearby, authorities said Wednesday. Francisco Leal-Ibarra was at the Franklin house party when he touched the victims, both under 16 years old, separately on Aug. 8, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said in a release with local police. It wasn't clear exactly how old the alleged victims were. Leal-Ibarra was arrested last Thursday without incident following an investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes and Chil…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Franklin Township, NJ
Police & Fire
Authorities: Man Fired Nearly 30 Shots Each Into Pair Of Somerset County Homes Authorities: Man Fired Nearly 30 Shots Each Into Pair Of Somerset County Homes
Authorities: Man Fired Nearly 30 Shots Each Into Pair Of Somerset County Homes A 20-year-old man was arrested months after firing nearly 30 shots each into a pair of occupied Somerset County homes. Kevin Lewis, of Somerset, was being held in the Somerset County Jail Monday on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder and weapons offenses, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said. No injuries were reported when Lewis fired 27 shots into an occupied Barker Road home in Franklin Township around 4:30 a.m., Dec. 30, 2019, Robertson said.  The 70-year-old victim was treated and released from an area hospital with non-life threatening inj…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Franklin Township, NJ
Police & Fire
Birthday Party Gone Bad: Pair Charged In Fatal Bridgewater Shooting That Brought SWAT Team Birthday Party Gone Bad: Pair Charged In Fatal Bridgewater Shooting That Brought SWAT Team
Birthday Party Gone Bad: Pair Charged In Fatal Bridgewater Shooting That Brought SWAT Team Two men were in custody following a weekend shooting that brought the Somerset County SWAT team. Sometime Saturday night, Roobino Philemon, 30, of West Orange and a friend showed up to a birthday party being held at a Bayberry Road in Bridgewater, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said in a joint statement. The homeowner from the front door told Philemon and the other man to leave as they were not welcome, Robertson said. Philemon and the man went to their car and stopped at Foothill Road near the intersection of Bayberry Road, when the homeowner came out and told Philemon -- …

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Franklin Township, NJ
Police & Fire
Authorities: NJ Mom Set Apartment On Fire Then Fled With 3 Kids To Perth Amboy Authorities: NJ Mom Set Apartment On Fire Then Fled With 3 Kids To Perth Amboy
Authorities: NJ Mom Set Apartment On Fire Then Fled With 3 Kids To Perth Amboy A Hillsborough mom was charged with intentionally starting three fires inside of her apartment before fleeing the scene to Perth Amboy with her three kids, authorities said. Hillsborough police got a 9-1-1 call around 11:10 p.m. April 20 for a fire at a Treeman Drive apartment, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson announced in a joint release. A neighbor told police she saw Jacklyn McLoughlin, 33, fleeing the unit where she lived with her kids just before fire companies and police responded, Robertson said. An investigation found that the fires were planned and deliber…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Franklin Township, NJ
Police & Fire
Police: Somerset Man Charged In Franklin Township Shootings Police: Somerset Man Charged In Franklin Township Shootings
Police: Somerset Man Charged In Franklin Township Shootings A 19-year-old Somerset man has been charged in a series of Franklin Township shootings, authorities said. Omar Griggs was taken into custody Wednesday after an investigation identified him as a suspect in two separate shootings that occurred on Monday, Dec. 30 on Barker Road and Tuesday, Dec. 31 on King Road in Somerset, authorities said. Approximately 27 shots were fired during the Barker Road home occupied by a resident, officials said. No injuries were reported. A male resident of a King Road home was shot in the leg during another shooting shortly after. He was treated and releas…

SHARE

by Valerie Musson
Franklin Township, NJ
Police & Fire
Somerset County Duo Charged In Shootings Somerset County Duo Charged In Shootings
Somerset County Duo Charged In Shootings Two men from Somerset County were arrested in connection to two separate shootings in Franklin Township, authorities said Thursday. Police say Rome Cruz, 20, and Christopher Williams, 23, were involved in two separate shootings that occurred on Monday, Dec. 30 on Barker Road and on Tuesday, Dec. 31 on King Road. Approximately 27 shots were fired in the Barker Road shooting, authorities said. No injuries were reported. Approximately 30 shots were fired during the King Road shooting, and a male victim who was shot in the leg was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital, …

SHARE

by Valerie Musson
Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
Police & Fire
Retired Police Officer Helps Nab Bridgewater Bank Robber: Prosecutor Retired Police Officer Helps Nab Bridgewater Bank Robber: Prosecutor
Retired Police Officer Helps Nab Bridgewater Bank Robber: Prosecutor A Bridgewater man was arrested last week after authorities said he tried to rob one bank and then hit a second bank just a few hours later.  Douglas Conroy, 60, entered Provident bank on Union Avenue in Bridgewater shortly before noon Dec. 23, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office said. Conroy approached a teller and demanded she fill a plastic bag with cash, according to the prosecutor's office. The teller walked away without handing over any money and Conroy left, authorities also said.  A man matching Conroy's description entered the Chase bank on South Davenport Street in So…

SHARE

by Paul Milo
Franklin Township, NJ
Police & Fire
Man In Bridgewater Shooting Incident Had AR-15, 2K Rounds: Prosecutor Man In Bridgewater Shooting Incident Had AR-15, 2K Rounds: Prosecutor
Man In Bridgewater Shooting Incident Had AR-15, 2K Rounds: Prosecutor A Bridgewater man who authorities say prompted a massive law enforcement response after firing a gun Monday has been charged with multiple offenses, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday.  The State Police, FBI crisis negotiators, Somerset County SWAT and other agencies responded following a 911 call placed to Bridgewater police around 4:35 p.m. requesting a welfare check at a home on Country Club Road. A resident told responding police that Donald G. Shaffer, 61, was in an attached garage and had multiple weapons. Police heard gunshots as they were arriving at the scen…

SHARE

by Paul Milo
Paramus, NJ
Police & Fire
GUILTY: Paramus Nanny Convicted Of Leaving 9-Month-Old With Broken Bones GUILTY: Paramus Nanny Convicted Of Leaving 9-Month-Old With Broken Bones
Guilty: Paramus Nanny Convicted Of Leaving 9-Month-Old With Broken Bones Jurors last week convicted a nanny from Paramus of abusing a 9-month-old child in her care, sending the infant to the hospital with several broken bones. A judge scheduled a Sept. 27 sentencing for Laura Gonzalez, 38, who was found guilty of child endangerment and simple assault following a trial in Somerville, authorities said. Meanwhile, she remained held in the Somerset County Jail. The Bernards Township child was admitted to Morristown Medical Center last Nov. 23 with fractures of the right femur and tibia and left ankle, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said. Detective…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine