Frankly Chatting: “I’m Against It”

By Steve Frank

We need the Marx Brothers today. Well, not the Marx Bros. physically – they’re dead. But their brand of humor: silly enough to be laughable but satirical enough to be thought-provoking. Take their movie, Horse Feathers (1932), for example. Their slapstick antics are woven around a clever indictment of the misplaced priorities given to collegiate athletics. In one famous musical number, “I’m Against It”, Professor Wagstaff (Groucho) asserts that “Whatever it is, I’m against it”. “It” being the absurdities of life.

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Arrest Made in Middletown Stabbing

Correction, Feb 19, 2019 10:50 a.m.

Det. Lt. Paul Bailey, the public information officer for the Middletown PD, told MMM that Bland did not stab two people as we previously reported.  One person was stabbed and the other was the victim of a simple assault, Bailey said.

Brennan C. Bland

Brennan C. Bland, 27, has been arrest by Middletown Police and charged with stabbing two people in McMahon Park on Friday afternoon, according to an announcement from the Middletown PD.

Bland is charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, and terroristic threats.   He is in the custody of the Monmouth County Correctional Institute in Freehold.

A Friday, February 15 at about 4:28 p.m. County dispatch received at least three calls reporting an altercation in McMahon Park in North Middletown.  The first call indicated that two adult males were involved in  fight. A second call reported juveniles fighting and a third caller stated the incident involved a stabbing and all parties had left the scene.

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Congressman Chris Smith Urges Fire Departments to Apply for SAFER grants

Congressman Chris Smith today urged all fire departments, career and volunteer, to apply for federal SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response) grants that are available from FEMA.  The grants are for the recruitment and retention of “front-line” firefighters.  The application period is February 15, 2019 through March 22, 2019 at 5 p.m. ET.

“All eligible career and volunteer fire departments in the Fourth District are encouraged to apply for these Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants, which help increase the number of firefighters and first responders to provide our communities with more security,” Smith said. “As we have already seen, this grant program has strengthened our district’s local fire departments and volunteer organizations in the past.”

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Mexican National Pleads Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl into NJ

Angel Santo Jerez Matos, 60, a/k/a “El Colonel,” today admitted his role in conspiring to traffic approximately 300 grams of fentanyl into New Jersey, according to an announcement by  U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito.

According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Matos was a supplier of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine to a drug trafficking organization operating in and around New Jersey.

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Statement by Long Branch Police Chief Jason Roebuck on the arrest of Officer Patrick Joyce, Jr

Long Branch Police Chief Jason Roebuck

As with any investigation, especially one involving a law enforcement officer, I cannot legally release certain information to the press, no matter how much I may want to, until that investigation has been completed. This was the situation with the incident involving Officer Patrick Joyce, Jr.

Now that the investigation is complete, and charges filed, I can issue the following statement, with much outrage and embarrassment. Officer Patrick Joyce Jr was charged with Criminal Sexual Contact (4th degree) and Harassment (Disorderly Persons offense) by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, February 8th, 2019. While the matter was under investigation, he was immediately suspended without pay, which was supported by the command staff of the department and the City’s leadership. He is now facing termination of his employment.

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Long Branch Cop Charged With Criminal Sexual Contact

Patrick D. Joyce, Jr., 35, of West Long Branch, a Long Branch Police Officer for 12 years, has been charged with fourth-degree Criminal Sexual Contact and Harassment, a petty disorderly persons offense, according to an announcement by Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni.

The charges are the result of an incident that occurred on February 1 at Jack’s Goal Line Stand during a private party celebrating the promotions of 12 Long Branch Officers.  MMM was the first to report on the incident and the investigation.

It is alleged that at the private party Joyce inappropriately touched a 21-year-old woman without her consent for his own sexual arousal or gratification.

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Probation Officer Charged With Raping Woman He Supervised

Henry C. Cirignano, 48, a New Jersey State Probation Officer who resides in Wall Township, was arrested on Monday and charged with with 2 counts of second degree Sexual Assault for coercing a women under his supervision into sexual activity, according to an announcement by Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Cirginano is currently in the custody of the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, pending the outcome of his detention hearing which is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. If convicted of Sexual Assault, he faces up to 10 years in a New Jersey state prison on each count, subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be subject to the provisions of “Megan’s Law” and Parole Supervision for Life requiring a minimum of 15 years of parole supervision following his release from prison.

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Keansburg Police Seek Help In Locating Missing Girl

UPDATE: Jamira has been located and safely returned to her family.

The Keansburg Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating 14 year old Jamira Grant, according to a post of their facebook page.

Jamira was reported missing from Keansburg Borough after she did not return home on 2/4/2019.

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O’Scanlon: Murphy’s failure to lift gag orders is “unconscionable”

It is unconscionable that Governor Murphy has not only failed to lift these gag orders, but that he hasn’t publicly encouraged all staffers – men and women – to come forward and tell all they know without fear of reprisal, and with his full support. https://t.co/kGGGzJkEq4

— Declan O’Scanlon (@declanoscanlon) January 28, 2019

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Accused Colts Neck Rapist Charged With Leading Identity Theft Ring

Terry Y. Kuo, 27, of Colts Neck, also known as Victor Lee, the Colts Neck tennis instructor who was indicted for kidnapping, rape and child pornography last month, was charged on Friday with being the ring leader of an Identify Theft operation that stole over $400,000 from retailer and financial institutions through the use of fraudulently obtained credit cards, according to an announcement by Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Sixteen people were arrested during “Operation Plastic Army,” a investigation that extended from November, 2017 through Janurary 2019,  including Barbara Cirillo, an employee at a Colts Neck bank who was charged with opening fraudulent bank accounts for the scheme, according to the announcement.

The following people were arrested and charged: Read the rest of this entry »

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