HOPATCONG POLICE PRESS RELEASES

Every Police Department in the State of New Jersey is bound by laws when it comes to releasing information. We want to keep you informed of what your department is doing. However, we cannot disseminate the following investigations or cases: domestic violence, certain child abuse cases, juvenile information, sexual assault victim information, wire tap or surveillance information, medical examiner's reports, confessions, mug shots, copies of criminal histories, defendants statements, name of a deceased until the next of kin has been notified, test results (polygraph, fingerprint comparison, ballistics test, or breathalyer tests) information that will be evidentiary in trial, information that will hinder an investigation and any opinion on a case. What we will give you is what we give the local news and more local events that the newspapers usually do not print.

THESE CHARGES ARE MERELY AN ACCUSATION AND THE DEFENDANT IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY

05/22/08	SERVING ALCOHOL TO UNDERAGE: DATE: *05/22/08* CASE: 08-5112 TIME: *20:50* LOCATION: *Monroe Trail* OFFICER INVESTIGATING: *Ptl. Dacunza* NAME OF ACCUSED: *16-year old male* ADDRESS OF ACCUSED: *Juvenile* AGE OF ACCUSED: 16 DATE OF ARREST: *05/22/08* TIME OF ARREST: *21:20* WHERE ARRESTED: *Monroe Trail* ANY RESISTANCE: N IF YES: CHARGES: *Serving alcohol to minors* WAS BAIL SOUGHT: N IF YES: ANY OTHER INFORMATION: A 16-year old male hosted a party at his house while his father was away. When police arrived they found a 30 pack of beer and 7 underage persons. The juvenile who threw the party was arrested and charged with providing alcohol to underage persons. Those who were drinking received borough ordinance summonses for consuming alcohol on private property.

05/19/08	TERRORISTIC THREATS: DATE: *05/13/08* CASE: *08-4766* TIME: *18:30* WHERE IT HAPPENED: *Isabella Ave* NAME OF ACCUSED: *Two 16-year olds and a 14-year old* AGE OF ACCUSED: *16 and 14* ADDRESS OF ACCUSED: *Juveniles* OCCUPATION OF ACCUSED: *Students* ACCUSED MARRIED: N WEAPONS USED: Y IF YES WHAT: Knives OFFICER (S) INVESTIGATING:*Ptl Tracey* DATE OF ARREST: *05/15/08-05/19/08* TIME OF ARREST: - WHERE ARRESTED: *Hopatcong Police Department* CHARGES: *Terroristic Threats and Possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose* WAS BAIL SOUGHT: Y IF YES: *Two juveniles are lodged in the Sussex County Juvenile Detention Center* VICTIM: *14- year old male* ANY OTHER INFORMATION: Officer Tracey responded to Isabella Ave on a harassment complaint. While investigating this he found that the day before, a 16- year old male and this males girlfriend who is also 16 threatened a 14-year old boy with a knife. Through Tracey's investigation it was found that there were two boys and the girl over one of the boy's house on Isabella Ave. They made a plan to call a 14- year old boy over to the house. When the boy arrived they were going to scare him with knives. The three waited for the victim to walk on the property. When he did, the 16-year old grabbed him and put a knife to his throat. The victim was able to push the knife away and started to run. The 16-year old female then ran out from behind a wall also brandishing a knife. The other 14- year old accused held a samurai sword swinging it. Officer Tracey was able to recover a black military knife, a silver knife and a samurai swor from the 16-year old boys house. The two 16-year olds were charged and lodged. The 14- year old accused was charged and released to a family member.

05/18/08	HIT AND RUN: DATE: *05/18/08* CASE:*08-4888* TIME OF ACCIDENT: *14:25* LOCATION: *East Madison Trail* INVESTIGATED BY: *Ptl. O'Shea* HOW MANY VEHICLES: 2 HOW MANY INJURED: 0 INJURED TAKEN TO: DRIVER AT FAULT: *Driver left the scene* SUMMONS ISSUED FOR: ANY OTHER INFORMATION: Between 13:30 and 14:30 a persons vehicle was struck while parked on East Madison Trail. The vehicle that left the scene is a red vehicle. It will have damage to the front left wheel well or the front of the vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ptl. O'Shea at (973) 398-5000 ext 248

05/14/08	POSSESSION OF CDS IN A MOTOR VEHICLE: DATE: *05/14/08* CASE:*08-004770* TIME OF STOP: *17:43* ROADWAY: *Maxim Drive* NAME OF THE ACCUSED: *Kimberly Damico* AGE OF THE ACCUSED: 19 ACCUSED LIVES IN: *236 Chincopee Ave* WAS THE ACCUSED THE DRIVER: Y STOPPED BY: *Ptl. Kraus* REASON FOR THE STOP: *MV accident* TYPE OF VEHICLE: *4 door Dodge* FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS GIVEN: Y FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS FAILED: Y ANY RESISTANCE: N CHARGES AGAINST THE ACCUSED: DWI, Possession of CDS, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Being under the influence of CDS, Reckless driving, Possession of CDS in a motor vehicle, Unlicensed driver, Taking a motor vehicle without the owners consent and Imitation CDS WHAT IS THE SUSPECTED CDS: *Marijuana* PARAPHERNALIA: Y IF YES WHAT:*Blunt* ANY OTHER INFORMATION: Kimberly Damico was driving her parents vehicle but she did not have a license. She saw a police car going the other way and got scared. She tried to turn up Toth Lane but slid on gravel and crashed her car. When the police arrived they found that she had been smoking marijuana in the car along with her two passengers. One of the passengers was a juvenile female. The other passenger was Thomas Depew. Age: 19. He Doesn't have an address, he stays at friends houses. In his pocket was grass in a clear package. It looked like marijuana but it wasn't. Depew was going to try and sell this grass as marijuana. He was charged with Possession of CDS, Possession of imitation CDS, Being under the influence of CDS and Distribution of imitation CDS Depew was placed in the Sussex County Jail with $10,000.00 bail. The juvenile female was turned over to her parents. Charges will be made against her as the others. Damico was released to a friend.

05/14/08	POSSESSION OF ALCOHOL UNDERAGE: DATE: *05/14/08* CASE:*08-4774* TIME: *19:07* LOCATION: *La Vigna Restaurant Rite Aid Plaza* OFFICER INVESTIGATING: *Ptl. McCluskey, Ptl. Janosko* NAME OF ACCUSED: *15- year old male* ADDRESS OF ACCUSED: *Juvenile* AGE OF ACCUSED: 15 DATE OF ARREST: *05/14/08* TIME OF ARREST: *19:15* WHERE ARRESTED: *Rite aid Plaza parking lot* ANY RESISTANCE: Y IF YES: *Pulled away from Officer McCluskey* CHARGES: *Possession of alcohol underage* WAS BAIL SOUGHT: N IF YES: ANY OTHER INFORMATION: A worker from La Vigna's restaurant called to say that a juvenile just used his bathroom and threw up all over it. When patrol arrived they found the intoxicated juvenile male. When officer McCluskey told him he was under arrest, he pulled away from her. He was then arrested and brought to headquarters. It was found that the juvenile was drinking alcohol in the woods next to the skate park. He got sick and threw up in the bathroom. He was charged and released to a family member.

05/14/08	BURGLARY: DATE: *Between 5/14 and 5/15/08* CASE:*08-4805* TIME: *Between 16:00 and 09:30* LOCATION: *High School Field House* STRUCTURE ENTERED: *Field House* FORCED ENTRY: N IF YES BY: STRUCTURE LOCKED: N CRIME WITH BURGLARY: *Criminal Mischief* THEFT: N IF THEFT WHAT AND VALUE: OFFICER INVESTIGATING: *Ptl. Sadowski* DETECTIVE INVESTIGATING: *Detective Shaver* ANY OTHER INFORMATION: There is a fieldhouse that houses sports equipement, a snack bar and bathrooms next to the High School football field and track. The two bathrooms were entered and the following items were damaged: *- In both bathrooms the sinks were ripped from the wall. One was smashed on the floor* *-In one bathroom the toilet paper dispenser was ripped from the wall* *-The urinal water pipe was ripped out and water was everywhere* *-Soap was thrown all over the bathroom* *-The door to a bathroom stall was ripped off its hinges* *-The light fixture was broken and the bulbs were smashed on the floor* *The detective bureau is investigation some leads. Anyone with information is asked to contact the police at (973) 398-5000.*

05/14/08	THEFT: This is an update to the thefts at Enrite. Since the New Jersey Herald and the Daily Record reported these thefts, 5 more victims came forward. Here are the dates, times and amounts stolen from customers: Tuesday 04/29/08 at 07:47 $15.00 Wednesday 04/30/08 at 07:59 $20.00 Thursday 05/01/08 at 13:55 $35.00 Friday 05/02/08 at 09:01 $95.00 I still believe that there are more victims. I would ask that anyone who visited the Enrite gas station around these dates and used a credit card, to check their accounts. If you find a questionable charge, report it to us. I would also like to thank the owner of the Enrite who immediately fired these employees and has been cooperating with the police.

05/14/08	POSSESSION OF CDS IN A MOTOR VEHICLE: DATE: *05/14/08* CASE:*08-4719* TIME OF STOP: *00:49* ROADWAY: *Lakeside Blvd and Hopatchung* NAME OF THE ACCUSED: *Kaarhera Bourgeois* AGE OF THE ACCUSED: 46 ACCUSED LIVES IN: *224 Carentan Road Hopatcong* WAS THE ACCUSED THE DRIVER: Y STOPPED BY: *Ptl. Sutphen* REASON FOR THE STOP: *Failure to keep right* TYPE OF VEHICLE: *Ford Pickup* FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS GIVEN: Y FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS FAILED: Y ANY RESISTANCE: N CHARGES AGAINST THE ACCUSED: *Failure to keep right, Reckless Driving, Possession of CDS in a motor vehicle, Possession of CDS and Possession of Paraphernalia* WHAT IS THE SUSPECTED CDS: *Crack Cocaine* PARAPHERNALIA: Y IF YES WHAT:*Crack Pipe* ANY OTHER INFORMATION: Officer Sutphen stopped this vehicle after he observed it going over the double yellow lines. The driver was asked out of the vehicle after the officer could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage on the drivers breath. When the driver was arrested for DWI, he was searched. In his pocket was a small mechanic's socket with a screen inside of it and burnt crack cocanine residue on the screen. In his other pocket was a small ziplock bag containing crack cocaine. The driver was arrested and brought to headquarters. Officer Kraus who is a DRE(Drug Recognition Expert) was called into headquarters. After officer Kraus's investigation, Bourgeois was also charged with DWI. Bourgeois was processed and released to a family member.

05/11/08	DWI: DATE: *05/11/08* CASE:*08-4607* TIME OF STOP: *01:41* ROADWAY: *Lakeside Blvd* NAME OF THE ACCUSED: *Robert Stagg* AGE OF THE ACCUSED: 61 ACCUSED LIVES IN: *3 Brooklyn Stanhope Road Hopatcong* WAS THE ACCUSED THE DRIVER: Y STOPPED BY: *Ptl. Sutphen* REASON FOR THE STOP: *Driving on a flat tire* TYPE OF VEHICLE: *Cadillac* FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS GIVEN: Y FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS FAILED: Y ANY RESISTANCE: N CHARGES AGAINST THE ACCUSED: *DWI, Refusal to take a breath test, Reckless Driving and Open Container in a Motor Vehicle* ANY OTHER INFORMATION: Officer Sutphen was on Lakeside Blvd when he observed a vehicle driving on a flat tire. When Sutphen pulled the vehicle over he could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage on the drivers breath. The driver being Robert Stagg was asked out of his vehicle where he failed the field sobriety tests. A 1.75L bottle of Vodka which was partially consumed was found in the vehicle. Stagg was taken to headquarters where he refused to give a sample of his breath. He was charged and later released to a friend

05/08/08	THEFT: DATE: *Multiple dates* CASE:*08-4453,4539* TIME: *All different* LOCATION: *Enrite gas station Hopatchung Road* WHAT WAS TAKEN: *Money out of the victims credit cards* VALUED AT: *So far $80.00 from one victim and $20.00 from another* OFFICER INVESTIGATING: *Ptl. Maresca* NAME OF ACCUSED: *Steven Campagna and Michael Landano* ADDRESS OF ACCUSED: *25 Alfred way Hopatcong and Landano- 43B Homestead Rd Jefferson* AGE OF ACCUSED: *Capagana- 18 Landano-22* OCCUPATION OF ACCUSED: *Both pump gas at the Enrite on Hopatchung* ACCUSED MARRIED: N DATE OF ARREST: *05/08/08* TIME OF ARREST: *12:29* WHERE ARRESTED: *Hopatcong Police Department* ANY RESISTANCE: N IF YES: CHARGES: *Theft* WAS BAIL SOUGHT: N IF YES: ANY OTHER INFORMATION: A person who bought gas at the Enrite on Hopatchung Road with a credit card saw there were 3 transactions made to Enrite that were false. The total for these false transactions was $80.00. The victim went to the gas station and confronted the attendant who was Capagna. He reached into his wallet and gave the victim $80.00 cash. She then came to headquarters to report the thefts. Another woman came into headquarters because she saw that $20.00 was charged to her credit card by Enrite that was fraudulant. Landano and Capagana were called in by Officer Mancuso. It was found that both have done this in the past. Therefore, there are other victims in the community that need to check their bank account statements and report any discrepencies found with Enrite. The way the employees were stealing was to use the victims credit card correctly for their purchase of gas. If another car came in wanting lets say $20.00 worth of gas and using cash; Campagna and Landano would use the victims credit card from the first purchase, take the $20.00 in cash and pocket it. So, the first driver using the credit card paid for the second car which used cash. At this time it is unknown how many vicitms there are. Again, we are asking that anyone using a credit card at the Enrite on Hopatchung Road to check their bank account statements.

04/30/08	THEFT/FRAUD: DATE: *01/10/08* CASE:*08-436* TIME: *10:24* LOCATION: *32 Northwestern Trail* WHAT WAS TAKEN: *A check* VALUED AT: *$290.00* OFFICER INVESTIGATING: *Detective Luciani* NAME OF ACCUSED: *James Conklin* ADDRESS OF ACCUSED: *473 River Styx Road* AGE OF ACCUSED: 27 OCCUPATION OF ACCUSED: *Laboror* ACCUSED MARRIED: N DATE OF ARREST: *04/30/08* TIME OF ARREST: *10:24* WHERE ARRESTED: *Hopatcong Police Department* ANY RESISTANCE: N IF YES: CHARGES: *Theft* WAS BAIL SOUGHT: N IF YES: ANY OTHER INFORMATION: The accused's Father went to write a check and found that $290.00 was missing from his checking account. It was found that Sandra Ortiz was given a blank check by James Conklin. James is the victims son. Ortiz then used the money to pay rent. Ortiz lives at 11 Brighten Ave Andover NJ DOB: 04/15/74. She was charged with Forgery. James Conklin who did not cooperate with the police was charged with theft of a check. Conklin had a warrant out of Hopatcong for driving while suspended for $843.00. He also had an outstanding warrant out of Cedar Grove for $81.00 for failure to show up to court. Conklin called a family member for bail. When he could not make bail he was lodged in the Sussex County Jail.

04/26/08	THE TALK OF HOPATCONG YOUTH, ALCOHOL AND DRUGS CANCELLED DUE TO A LACK OF ATTENDANCE BY HOPATCONG PARENTS: DATE: 04/26/08 MORE INFORMATION: There were only about 5 parents who showed up for a talk about substance abuse and the children of Hopatcong that was scheduled for 04/26/08 at the Saint Judes Parish Center. There was a slide presentation prepared, speakers and refreshments. Around 4 hours after the presentation was scheduled the Hopatcong Police arrested two 17-year old males for possessing marijuana in a vehicle. Just after that arrest the police arrested a parent for hosting an underage alcohol party at her residence. 9 borough ordinance summonses were also issued to the underage partygoers who were drinking in this house. See the below press releases.

04/26/08	POSSESSION OF CDS IN A MOTOR VEHICLE/ DWI: DATE: *04/26/08* CASE:*08-4087* TIME OF STOP: *22:26* ROADWAY: *Shawnee and Smokerise* NAME OF THE ACCUSED: *Both 17-year old males* AGE OF THE ACCUSED: 17 ACCUSED LIVES IN: