Lineman workers Nicholas Gamalski, 27, and Travis Chiokai, 26, with WINCO INC. died by falling 100 feet from their Hughes rotorcraft helicopter after their safety hardness snapped in Sulphur, Louisiana

Nicholas Gamalski, 27, dead

• Studied at Northwest Lineman College
• Went to Galt High
• Lives in Lake Charles, Louisiana
• From Herald, California

•  Travis Chiokai, 26, dead

  Studied at Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service - TEEX
• Studied at Northwestern Lineman College
• Went to Fortuna Union High
• Lives in Lake Charles, Louisiana
• In a relationship with Latashia Perez
• From Rio Dell, California

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KLFY)-UPDATE:

The two men have been identified as Nicholas Gamalski, 27, and Travis Chiokai, 26, both from California.

ORIGINAL STORY: At approximately 9:30 a.m. this morning, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the area of N. Claiborne Street and W. Houston River Road in Sulphur in reference to two men who had fallen from a helicopter.

When deputies arrived they discovered two men, both in their 20’s and both from California, dead.

During further investigation, it was learned the two men were working on the electrical lines in the area from a helicopter.

It appears their safety harness was rubbing against the power lines, causing it to snap and causing them to fall about 100 feet from the helicopter.

Both men were pronounced dead by medical personnel at the scene.

Foul play is not suspected, the deaths appear to be accidental.  Next of kin has not been notified so their names have not been released.

=======================

Calacasieu Parish, La. (KALB) - Two young men were working on electrical lines while suspended from cable connected to a helicopter when they suddenly fell to their deaths.

(Image Source: KALB)

A spokeswoman from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's office said their safety harnesses were rubbing up against the power lines, causing them to snap.
They fell from about one-hundred feet above the ground.
Investigators believe that the deaths appear to be an accident and that no foul play was involved.

Aircraft Description

Serial Number	911027D	Status	Valid
Manufacturer Name	HUGHES	Certificate Issue Date	01/13/2010
Model	369D	Expiration Date	09/30/2019
Type Aircraft	Rotorcraft	Type Engine	Turbo-shaft
Pending Number Change	None	Dealer	No
Date Change Authorized	None	Mode S Code (base 8 / oct)	50115345
MFR Year	1981	Mode S Code (base 16 / hex)	A09AE5
Type Registration	Corporation	Fractional Owner	NO

Registered Owner

Name	WINCO INC
Street	22300 YELLOW GATE LN NE
City	AURORA	State	OREGON
County	MARION	Zip Code	97002-8434
Country	UNITED STATES

Airworthiness

Engine Manufacturer	AMA/EXPR	Classification	Standard
Engine Model	UNKNOWN ENG	Category	Normal
A/W Date	12/29/1981

Two workers with A W Stiles Contractors Inc were killed Tuesday night when a 1978 Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six plane crashed and burned into a field during approach in Warren County, TN

MCMINNVILLE, Tenn. - Two people were reportedly killed Tuesday night when a plane crashed into a field in Warren County.

According to the FAA, the Piper PA-32 aircraft went down near Tennessee Highway 287 and Sherell Road.

The aircraft was trying to land at Warren County Memorial Airport around 7 p.m.

The plane was substantially damaged by fire during the crash.

According to the Southern Standard, the two people on board the aircraft did not survive. Neither of their names was released.

The FAA will investigate and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the probable cause of the accident.



===================



A Warren County official says there "did not appear to be survivors" after a plane carrying two people crashed Tuesday night in Warren County.

According to a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, a Piper PA-32 aircraft crashed into a field off Highway 287 and Sherell Road as it was attempting to land at Warren County Memorial Airport in McMinnville.

"Fire substantially damaged the aircraft," FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen reported in a statement to USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee.

Chuck Haston, 911 director for Warren County, said the first call about the crash came in at 6:46 p.m. Dispatchers also received a call from Memphis air traffic control "that they had possibly lost contact with an aircraft in the vicinity," Haston said.

"Due to the condition of the aircraft, it didn't appear as though anyone had survived," Haston said, adding that the 911 center had not yet received official word on the occupants' conditions.

Authorities in Warren County will release the identities and conditions of the two individuals on board, according to the FAA.

The National Transportation Safety Board will determine the cause of the crash as the FAA also investigates.

Haston said the Warren County Sheriff's Office has taken over securing the scene until FAA arrives, which will likely be in the morning.

No one from the sheriff's office was available to provide information Tuesday night.

This is a developing story. Check back for more information.



===================


Date: 07-NOV-2017
Time: 18:46 LT
Type:
Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six
Owner/operator: A W Stiles Contractors Inc
Registration: N47831
C/n / msn: 32-7840014
Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: SW of Warren County Memorial Airport (KRNC), McMinnville, TN - United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature: Unknown
Departure airport:

Destination airport: Warren County Mem’l (KRNC)
Narrative:
The aircraft impacted farm field terrain during an approach to land southwest of Warren County Memorial Airport (KRNC), McMinnville, Tennessee. The airplane was partially consumed by the post-impact fire and the two occupants onboard were fatally injured.

Sources:
http://www.newschannel5.com/news/crews-respond-to-plane-crash-in-warren-county
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2017/11/07/two-board-plane-crashed-caught-fire-mcminnville/842708001/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=
__________________________
https://www.google.com/maps/place/TN-287+%26+Sherrell+Rd+%26+Jacksboro+Rd,+Morrison,+TN+37357/@35.6477264,-85.9255006,17z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88613874f82a4899:0x4b21b44d8ba69ad8?hl=en-us
FAA
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N47831
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-32


A. W. Stiles founded the company that bears his name in 1976. His son Tommy Stiles was always by his side working and learning. The company started out by specializing in coating kilns. However, as time went by, the company started doing more and more in the lumber drying industry. Through the years, A.W. Stiles Contractors have done everything imaginable to the dry kilns, from complete kiln rebuilds, disassembling and relocating kilns and boiler systems,  and manufacturing and erecting new kilns.  While A.W. enjoys his retirement, Tommy  has taken over as President of the company, where he is joined by his brother, Tony Stiles, nephew, Lee Stiles, and wife, Christie Stiles.   Tommy turned the company's main focus on being a complete aftermarket repair service for all of the lumber drying needs of their customers.  However, the customers continued to enquire about "New Builds."  Realizing they were missing out on business opportunities, A.W. Stiles Contractors pushed to market the "Manufacture and Installation" of new lumber dry kilns.  Today, A.W. Stiles Contractors can provide a turn key project for all of your lumber drying needs.  From things as simple as coating kilns, to complete rebuilds, to building some brand new kilns, we will gladly take a look at your projects.

As drying processes have continued to change, so have we. In years past, the highest percentage of mills manufactured primarily Oak. Today, diversity rules, especially in regard to wood species. As we all know, it's an ever-changing industry. While there are still a few companies that manufacture one species of lumber, most have diversity in their product and in their dry kiln and predryer needs. If your kilns were built 20 years ago for slow and easy Oak drying, and you are now drying Maple or Poplar, you're probably costing yourself days per kiln charge, by not updating your kilns. By installing the proper amount of vents, heat and wind-flow, your drying time per charge can be dramatically reduced, and the lumber can be much brighter and more attractive for customers. A.W. Stiles Contractors has the experience, knowledge and manpower to relocate, repair or modify kilns for whatever their customers need.  Most times, kilns can be rebuilt much cheaper than they can be replaced.  Other times, new builds are more economical.  We now provide either option.  

A.W. Stiles Contractors is the aftermarket specialist for the hardwood industry. With over 45 full time employees, the A.W. Stiles team can cover a lot of ground and quickly complete the total job. We have worked in states all across this country and our customer list grows from coast to coast each year in both the hardwood and softwood lumber industries. With nearly 40 years of experience, A.W. Stiles Contractors has gained the trust and respect of the lumber industry. Long term and repeated customers are only obtained by quality work, knowledge, and ability to complete the project. In our close-knit industry, most everybody seems to know everybody else, and word spreads about who does a good job. We are proud of the fact that most of our new customers come from referrals from existing customers. We continue to strive to make sure that each customer is satisfied with the work we do.

A carnival worker committed suicide Wednesday at Blessed Trinity Catholic School in Virginia Gardens in Florida

Carnival worker found dead at Blessed Trinity Catholic School in Virginia Gardens

Death ruled suicide, Miami-Dade police say
By Amanda Batchelor - Senior Digital Editor 
November 8, 2017

VIRGINIA GARDENS, Fla. - A carnival worker committed suicide Wednesday at Blessed Trinity Catholic School in Virginia Gardens, authorities said.

Sky 10 was above the school at 4020 Curtiss Pkwy shortly after noon as Miami-Dade police were at the school.

Archdiocese of Miami spokeswoman Mary Ross said a volunteer went into a storage trailer between 9:30 and 9:45 a.m. and found the body of a carnival worker inside.

She said the school was on lockdown until police completed their investigation, but students were not exposed to the scene or even to authorities on campus.

Ross said Wednesday was the final preparation day ahead of the carnival.

The worker's identity was not immediately released. 

This year marks the 51st Blessed Trinity Annual Festival.
==================



VIRGINIA GARDENS, Fla. (WSVN) – A carnival worker has died, Wednesday, at a Virginia Gardens Catholic school.

According to Archdiocese of Miami, the carnival worker was found dead in a trailer at Blessed Trinity Catholic School, near Curtiss Parkway. The cause of death has yet to be confirmed, Archdiocese of Miami said, but parents were notified.

Mary Ross Agosta, Director of Communications for the Archdiocese of Miami, spoke to 7News regarding the death. “The children are fine,” she said. “School is continuing as normal. At no time were any of the children exposed to the excitement to the body that was found because the body was found inside a trailer.”

Agosta added that children whose classes faced the alley of the parking lot were removed and shielded from police activity.

Pick-up is scheduled for its usual time, Agosta said, but the location has been changed. “Parents have been notified what exit they can pick their children up,” she said.

The carnival on the school’s campus is expected to open on Thursday.

Officials have begun a death investigation.
This year marks the 51st Blessed Trinity Annual Festival. The festival includes carnival rides, games, plenty of food and lots of fun!

MISSION STATEMENT
Blessed Trinity School's mission is to witness and nurture the transforming
power of the teachings of Christ through the education of our children.

PHILOSOPHY
Blessed Trinity Catholic School's sole focus is to educate the whole student:
mind, body and soul. This education encompasses personal well-being and health, spiritual growth and academic achievement. The school strives to achieve this goal by providing a learning environment centered in Christ's teachings and which emphasizes the importance of Christian values. The development of faith and the instillation of sound Christian values is an ongoing process. Therefore, the involvement of both parents and the parish family are viewed as an essential element in the development of the child. This enables the student to spread Christ's message through both word and action.

"We are educating the future leaders of our community and teaching them the values of our Catholic faith."
                                        - Maria Teresa Perez, principal

BALDWIN BYPASS WORKER DEATH: A worker with Superior Construction Company died after an industrial accident at a highway construction site along Interstate 10 at U.S. 301 near Baldwin, Florida

BALDWIN, Fla. - 


A worker died after an industrial accident Tuesday afternoon at a highway construction site along Interstate 10 at U.S. 301, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said.

Officers were called about 4 p.m. to the site near Baldwin, where police said they found a 37-year-old man underneath an asphalt compactor that had tipped over.

Police said the man, who was a construction worker, was taken to a hospital, where he later died. His name has not yet been released.

SKY 4 captured an aerial view of the scene, showing police tape around the piece of heavy equipment where a new I-10 overpass over U.S. 301 is being built.

Investigators said multiple companies work at the site, and it's not yet known which company the victim worked for.

Sheriff's Office homicide detectives are investigating the incident as an accident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating. 


The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) scheduled to begin construction early February 2017 on a bypass around the Town of Baldwin. Superior Construction Company is expected to complete the $60 million project by Spring 2020.

The project includes constructing a new four-mile, four-lane divided highway beginning north of the I-10 westbound on-ramp and two new signalized intersections at Beaver Street (U.S. 90) and Brandy Branch Road. Plans also include building an overpass across two CSX railroad crossings and an additional overpass over the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail to alleviate traffic congestion and improve operational efficiency of U.S. 301, which is part of the National Highway System and Florida’s Strategic Intermodal System (SIS).

An open house was held Monday, January 9. Topics discussed included timeframe, construction activities, traffic impacts and other details.


================

Construction aims to improve I-10, US-301 interchange

Safety for truck drivers, other motorists the focus

By Crystal Moyer - Traffic/reporter

  October 17, 2017
 

BALDWIN, Fla. - Construction at I-10 and US-301 is underway to help alleviate the traffic and accommodate the growing number of trucks that use that interchange.  

Baldwin has become a hub for truck drivers transporting products to and from Jacksonville. The I-10/US-301 interchange is a popular spot for truck drivers to refuel and rest. But engineers with the Florida Department of Transportation noticed there were some flaws to the interchange.

Engineers believe there's not enough space for trucks to slow down on the ramps from I-10 to US-301. Truck traffic often backs up on US-301 northbound waiting to make the turn onto I-10 eastbound. They also said the overpasses on I-10 in Baldwin need to be higher to accommodate larger trucks. 

FDOT crews were working to make improvements, but they say there have been some bumps in the road.

Recent storms like Hurricane Irma have delayed progress along the I-10/US-301 interchange. The project completion date has been pushed back to fall of 2019. But when it's done it's going to help drivers behind the wheel of big rigs. 

That includes reconstructing the entrance ramps from US-301 to I-10 eastbound. A new ramp will allow US-301 northbound traffic to smoothly exit onto I-10 after the intersection. This will cut down on the backup of traffic at the exit.  

There will be an additional lane to give trucks and other cars more space and time to merge onto I-10, and the exit lanes on I-10 will be wider to accommodate semis. 

Truck drivers said the changes will make their jobs a little easier and safer. But they say other drivers need to be more mindful. 

"Cars are going to cut in front of trucks," truck driver Steven Brown said. "They're going to be in a hurry. Not much you can do about that." ===================

I-10 at U.S. 301 Improvements

---

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) started work in late February 2016 on a project on the Interstate 10 and U.S. 301 interchange near Baldwin. The reconstruction project is designed to accommodate increased truck traffic making the northbound U.S. 301 to eastbound I-10 movement. Northbound trucks using U.S. 301 are primarily heading to Jacksonville or points north. 

Florida is a major player in the global economy, ranking seventh in the U.S. for exports. In 2013, Florida exported more than $85 billion in goods, with most of those loads moving on Florida highways on the way to seaports and rail centers.
The $65 million project was awarded to Superior Construction of Jacksonville and comes on the heels of the $67 million widening of U.S. 301 north of Baldwin completed last summer. 

A Baldwin Bypass project is scheduled for construction next year. 

"This route is a critical part of the regional transportation network," said Pete Sheridan of VIA Consulting Services, which will oversee the construction.
The existing I-10-U.S. 301 interchange features two major truck stops that attract a sizable concentration of truck traffic. 

The interchange project includes new ramps and bridges to correct the following deficiencies:

• Substandard loop ramps
• Insufficient deceleration ramp length
• Insufficient queue storage on U.S. 301
• A short weaving distance between loop ramps and southbound U.S. 301
• Substandard vertical clearance under the bridges

Because of these deficiencies, truck traffic often backs up waiting to make the northbound U.S. 301 to eastbound I-10 movement.
I-10 and U.S. 301 improvements include:

• Reconstruct the entrance ramp from U.S. 301 southbound to I-10 eastbound in the southwest quadrant of the interchange which will ultimately merge into the single-lane entrance ramp from U.S. 301 northbound to I-10 eastbound providing dual lanes and allow for merge room onto I-10
• Construct a new single-lane entrance ramp from U.S. 301 northbound to I-10 eastbound in the southeast quadrant of the interchange which will ultimately merge into the entrance ramp from U.S. 301 southbound to I-10 eastbound providing dual lanes and allow for merge room onto I-10.  This will ultimately eliminate the current left turn movement at the signal and allow a free-flowing right turn lane.
• Realign and widen the exit ramp from I-10 eastbound to U.S. 301 from a single left turn lane to a dual left turn lane to U.S. 301 northbound and maintain a single right turn lane to U.S. 301 southbound.
• Construct a new single-lane exit ramp from I-10 westbound to U.S. 301 in the northeast quadrant. The ramp will ultimately split allowing for separate exit ramps for northbound and southbound U.S. 301 traffic. The new ramp design will provide a dual right turn lane controlled by a signal for northbound U.S. 301 and provide a two-lane ramp controlled by a signal for southbound U.S. 301. The new ramp will also improve I-10 westbound and provide more capacity during peak times.
• Realign the westbound entrance ramp from U.S. 301 southbound to I-10 westbound in the northwest quadrant controlled by a yield sign.
• Reconstruct turn lanes which will extend and/or eliminate both left and right turn lanes at the interchange.

The Companies

Superior Construction Company, Inc.

Superior Construction Company is a Midwest based Heavy-Civil, Transportation, and Industrial Services contractor, operating throughout North America, proudly employing a Union Labor force.

Superior Construction Company Southeast, LLC.

Superior Construction Southeast is a Florida based Heavy-Civil and Transportation contractor, established in the late 80’s, that operates in a variety of open shop environments.

General Scope

The interchange at I-10 and US 301 is being reconfigured to alleviate traffic congestion for vehicles entering and exiting I-10 to and from US301.  Improvements for this project include milling and resurfacing, base work, shoulder treatment, drainage improvements, traffic signals, lighting, highway signing, guardrail, box culverts, bridges, MSE walls and other incidental construction.

G. Dolph Corradino, the former municipal judge of Little Falls Township, is accused of making payments to himself and his staff, including unauthorized bonuses, from a fund set aside for administrative costs stemming from backlogged drunk driving cases, without obtaining required approvals

NJ Judge Accused Of Taking Unapproved DWI Fund Payments

By Jeannie O'Sullivan

Law360, New York (November 6, 2017, 5:56 PM EST) -- A New Jersey municipal judge is accused of making payments to himself and his staff, including unauthorized bonuses, from a fund set aside for administrative costs stemming from backlogged drunk driving cases, without obtaining required approvals, judicial ethics officials announced on Monday. 

G. Dolph Corradino, the former municipal judge of Little Falls Township, never submitted the request paperwork necessary to finalize more than $15,200 in payments disbursed to himself and his staff between 2009 and 2015 from the state’s Municipal Court Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund, according to complaint released by the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct on Monday.

The payments include nearly $12,000 in bonuses he gave himself over the seven-year period from the monies, also known as the driving while intoxicated, or DWI, fund, according to the complaint.

By failing to submit requests for expenditure of DWI funds prior to holding special DWI court sessions and in using money from fund to pay himself bonuses unrelated to administrative costs to the sessions, Judge Corradino “demonstrated an inability to conform his conduct to the high standards of conduct expected of judges and impugned the integrity of the judiciary,” in violation of conduct rules, the complaint said.

Judge Corradino’s attorney didn't immediately repsond to a A message seeking comment on Monday.

Judge Corradino also held presiding judgeship positions of Passaic County municipal courts and Passaic Vicinage Central Judicial Processing Court, but was suspended from those roles and his municipal judgeship in September 2015. The suspension was vacated in June of this year, but he resigned from his municipal bench a month later and hasn’t been reappointed to his other posts, the complaint said. He had been Little Falls’ municipal judge since 1993.

According to the complaint, Little Falls was among the municipalities that qualified for monies from the fund, which was established to defray costs associated with additional court sessions needed to address pending and backlogged DWI cases.

Glenn A. Grant, acting administrative director of New Jersey courts, issued guidelines in 2009 setting forth, in part, that all expenditures from the DWI fund required preapproval from the assignment judge of that municipality’s vicinage, the complaint said.

Reports from routine annual reviews of Little Falls’ administrative procedures and office practices showed that the municipality provided information “without any supporting documentation” as to the DWI fund between 2009 and 2015, according to the complaint.

Instead of following the judiciary’s protocols for payments, Judge Corradino verbally requested payment from the Little Falls Township manager for monies from the fund. There was no paperwork of any kind submitted by Little Falls Municipal Court or Judge Corradino in connection with the judge’s requests for payment from the fund.

The judge admitted that he never read the protocol memorandums, according to the complaint. The judge also said that he took an $11,995 bonus for himself as his “reward for the efficient performance of his court,” the complaint said.

“Respondent, however, knew or should have known that any expenditure from the DWI fund required preapproval by the assignment judge,” the complaint said.

Judge Corradino is represented by Joseph P. LaSala of McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP.

The ACJC is represented by Disciplinary Counsel Maureen G. Bauman.

The case is In the Matter of G. Dolph Corradino, Former Presiding Judge-Municipal Courts, case number 2016-022, before the New Jersey Supreme Court, Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct.

Passaic County Sheriff’s Office is under fire for illegal search of car; CORRUPT PASSAIC COUNTY SHERIFF DESTROYS EXCULPATORY EVIDENCE, INCLUDING CAR VIDEOS, RECORDS, TELECOMMUNICATIONS

On Friday morning, a video was floating around cyberspace in which a plainclothes police officer in New Jersey was confronted by a man for what looks like a blatantly illegal search of his car. The video has garnered more than half a million views.




On Saturday the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office is under fire for the incident and the officer has been referred to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office for investigation, according to the Paterson Times.

“In an effort to assure an independent investigation of the circumstances around the search video, the sheriff referred the matter to the prosecutor’s office for a thorough and independent review,” said William Maer, spokesman for Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik, on Friday afternoon.

In the still-undated video, a man can be heard yelling at an officer on a Paterson, N.J., street, apparently after seeing him rifling through his car: “Yo. What the fuck is you doing? What is you doing in my van?” the clearly distraught man asks.


“I’ll tell you what—come here,” replies the officer as he looks guilty as hell, walking away from the inquiring man.

“I’m not going over there. I’m going to stay in the middle of the street,” he replies (smart man).

“Come over here. Come here.”

“What is you in my car for when I’m sitting down, eating with my family?” the individual asks the officer. “How did you get in my car?”

“It’s open. It’s wide open,” replies the officer.

“Still. Still. You’re not supposed to be in my van, sir,” the man is heard saying in the video.

Of course, the cop begins to make up some bogus excuse.

“We had a lot of reports of guns in this van in this neighborhood,” the officer tells the man, although the law clearly states that police cannot search vehicles without consent or a warrant, which, judging by the video, he didn’t have.


The man asks for the officer’s name and badge number. “Y’all getting caught doing things y’all ain’t supposed to be doing. Y’all fucking buggin’. I know my rights.”

The officer’s identity has not been disclosed by the sheriff’s office.

“This is incredibly troubling and disturbing,” said Ed Barocas, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey. “You have an individual who appears to be a law-enforcement officer entering someone’s vehicle without permission and seemingly without any lawful authority. Not only is it improper, it’s a crime.”

Barocas continues, “If there is no authority, as there appears not to be, this [then should] be prosecuted just as you or I would be prosecuted for breaking into someone’s car,” he said.

No matter what we see with our very own eyes—on a daily basis—police officers will still be seen by many as heroes who can do no wrong. Especially when it comes to black folk.

===================



Passaic County Sheriff’s Office under fire for questionable vehicle search

Zeitgeist

July 14, 2017 by Jayed Rahman


The Passaic County Sheriff’s Office is under fire after video of a questionable vehicle search went viral on social media on Friday morning. The video shows an unidentified man confronting a plainclothes law enforcement officer. The man accuses the officer of conducting a warrantless search of his van’s trunk.

It’s not clear when the incident occurred. The video was posted on Facebook on Friday morning. It has received almost 600,000 views. It is clear the incident took place on Union Avenue between Redwood Avenue and Jasper Street.

The incident has been referred to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office for investigation, said William Maer, spokesman for Passaic County sheriff Richard Berdnik.


“In an effort to assure an independent investigation of the circumstances around the search video, the Sheriff referred the matter to the Prosecutor’s office for a thorough and independent review,” said Maer on Friday afternoon.

“At this time, we can neither confirm nor deny any investigation conducted by the PCPO in relation to this matter,” said chief assistant prosecutor Mary Cate Ryan.

Maer did not say whether the officer had a warrant to search the individual’s vehicle. He also did not say when the incident occurred. Three high ranking current and former law enforcement officials interviewed for this report said the officer showed poor conduct by providing evasive answers when asked why the vehicle was being searched without the individual’s consent and failing to promptly identify himself as a law enforcement officer.

“Yo. What is you doing? What is you in my van for?” yells the man to the officer.

“I’ll tell you what, come here,” replies the officer as he walks away from the inquiring man.

“I’m not going over there. I’m going to stay in the middle of the street.”


“Come over here. Come here.”

“What is you in my car for when I’m sitting down, eating with my family,” says the individual to the officer.

The individual asks the officer how did he get access to the vehicle’s trunk. “It’s open. It’s wide open,” replies the officer.

“Still. Still. You’re not supposed to be in my van, sir,” the man is heard saying in the video.

“We had a lot of reports of guns in this van in this neighborhood,” the officer tells the man as justification for the search. Police cannot search vehicles without consent or warrants. However, there is something called the plain view doctrine that allows officers to conduct a search upon observing contraband inside a vehicle, said a former high ranking police official.

The video suggests the officer did not have a warrant. He also did not secure consent from the owner.

“This is incredibly troubling and disturbing,” said Ed Barocas, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Jersey, after reviewing the video footage. “You have an individual who appears to be a law enforcement officer entering someone’s vehicle without permission and seemingly without any lawful authority. Not only is it improper, it’s a crime.”


Barocas described the officer’s evasive conduct as “unprofessional.” He wasn’t alone former and current law enforcement officials interviewed for this report also said the officer behaved in an unprofessional manner.

The officer’s identity has not been disclosed by the sheriff’s office. There were other officers at the scene. There were at least two marked sheriff’s vehicles at the scene. One of the officers offers to give his business card when the man demanded identification and badge number from the plainclothes officer.

The video also disturbed local leaders.

“How often are they doing this? Who gave him the authority to do it? What is the Passaic County Sheriff Department searching people’s cars at will? Was he looking for something or putting something there?” remarked Paterson activist Ernest Rucker.

“We don’t know if it’s just an unlawful search which is bad enough itself or something more nefarious,” said Barocas.

“It seems like an illegal search. They didn’t have the person’s consent,” said Zellie Imani, a leader of the Black Lives Matter in Paterson. “I’m really alarmed and upset about the whole situation.”

The incident did not involve officers from the Paterson Police Department, according to city officials.

This incident also creates a big liability for the Passaic County government if the individual files a lawsuit claiming his civil rights were trampled by the sheriff’s officers.

Barocas is glad the prosecutor’s office has been brought into the situation. He hopes the prosecutor will conduct a thorough investigation into this incident. “If there is no authority, as there appears not to be, this [then should] be prosecuted just as you or I would be prosecuted for breaking into someone’s car,” he said.
=================
CORRUPT PASSAIC COUNTY SHERIFF DESTROYS EXCULPATORY EVIDENCE, INCLUDING CAR VIDEOS, RECORDS, TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Dr. Basilis N. Stephanatos, Ph.D., P.E., J.D., Q.E.D.

STATE V. STEPHANATOS

DOCKET NO.  11002878

Indictment No. 11-09-00810-I

THE SERIOUSLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL CASE OF STATE V. BASILIS STEPHANATOS


Tax foreclosure companies in New Jersey (American Tax Funding, LLC, and others see for example this link: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-new-jersey-investors-plead-guilty-their-roles-bid-rigging-schemes-municipal-tax-lien) failed to follow the Anti-eviction laws and the Summary Dispossess Act and obtained a writ for removal without a hearing before a law-division judge - they basically used a self-certification and fooled the Office of Foreclosure in Trenton that had no jurisdiction over his real estate property as he had objected to the legal proceedings and no issues were ever adjudicated.


American Tax Funding, LLC, Robert Del Vecchio, Esq. and others also lied to the sheriff that he had threatened them with violence if they try to evict him from his home that he fully owned (no mortgage on the home). The sheriff then lied to the grand jurors that he displayed a gun at them and lied that they were injured in their shoulder by falling.  In reality, the fraudulent former Sheriff Officer, Ronald A. Lukas, had been suffering from injury to his shoulder for many years due to heavy weight lifting and by playing the linebacker position with the Pompton Lakes Cardinals-  what a lying piece of shit this "officer of the law".


In any event, six years ago, the grand jury indicts Dr. Stephanatos based on the fraudulent grand jury presentation and the willful failure to disclose to the Grand Jury clearly exculpatory evidence. In 2011, Dr. Stephanatos asked for speedy trial, but that never happened.   At that time, Dr. Stephanatos also filed a motion to change the venue due to several conflicts of interest posed by the employment of his accusers at the Passaic County Court House and the fact that the former Presiding Judge of the Chancery Division, the very corrupt and incompetent Margaret Mary McVeigh was a witness to the proceedings.
What is even worse, a corrupt and lazy "Judge" named Miguel Dela Carrera, failed to transfer the case to another county despite several conflicts of interests: at least two (2) of the involved sheriff employees were employed at the Passaic County Courthouse; the former Presiding Judge of the Chancery Court, Margaret McVeigh, was a major witness in the case.  These two conflicts required the case to be transferred to another venue, but the lazy, incompetent and corrupt De la Carrera failed to reach a decision for at least 3 years (!) and then failed to transfer the case!  What a pathetic moronic "judge" sitting on the bench in Passaic County!


In early 2016, Dr. Stephanatos had been publishing in a blog the proceedings of the meritless criminal case against him. Based on the publishings, a good Samaritan came forward who provided evidence that Dr. Stephanatos was framed by Passaic County sheriff officers Lucas and d'Agostino. In his blog, Dr. Stephanatos has been complaining about the violation of his speedy trial rights: the delay of the case is now at 6.5 years and running!


In March 2016, and in order to prevent the spreading of the truth and the further discovery of exculpatory evidence, the Passaic county prosecutor, Peter Roby, then claimed that Dr. Stephanatos was crazy and that he must be submitted for psychiatric evaluation. He also claimed that the State’s witnesses could be threatened by Dr. Stephanatos.



Dr. Stephanatos' lawyer, Mr. Miles Feinstein, Esq of Clifton, NJ vehemently opposed the incarceration as violative of his first amendment rights, etc. In any event, they locked him up at the Bergen county jail from March 21, 2016 through May 25, 2016. During the last two weeks of his jail time, a state psychologist came and evaluated him. He found him intelligent, sane and competent. When Dr. Stephanatos asked him why it took them two months to show-up at the jail to evaluate him, he said he only got the assignment during the last week of April 2016.



In May 2016, Dr. Stephanatos then filed a complaint against judge de la Carrera (the judge who ordered his incarceration) with the presiding judge Ernest Capossela. Judge Capossela immediately dismissed Judge de la Carrera from the case and started presiding over the case on his own. He said that what de la Carrera and Passaic county prosecutor, Peter Roby, did was illegal and unconstitutional, as no threats were ever made by Dr. Stephanatos against anyone. All this stuff is in on the record. He made these statements and much more in open court on May 26, 2016 when he ordered Dr. Stephanatos' release.

After more than six years on bail, the accuser, Ronald A. Lucas (a sheriff employee) is expected to be convicted for insurance fraud for faking his injury. The judge in Dr. Stephanatos' case is fired by the assignment judge, Ernest Caposela.  The prosecutor in the case, Peter Roby, is also fired and a new prosecutor, Nubar Kasaryan, takes the case in June 2016.  However, this new prosecutor delays the case for 1.5 years and places obstacles in providing discovery.  In fact, this second prosecutor Nubar Kasaryan, claims that there is no more discovery to be provided and that no videos, photos, electronic or other recordings exist!!

Dr. Stephanatos then files a complaint with the New Jersey Supreme Court in September and October 2017.  The NJ Supreme Court intervenes and orders the transfer of the case out of Passaic County due to the many conflicts of interest posed, as explained above.

On  October 17, 2017, a meeting occurs between Judge Caposela, the presiding judge of the criminal division Marilyn Clark, Miles Feinstein and the third prosecutor in the case (Nubar Kasaryan was dismissed from the case!).  Caposela provided the decision to transfer the case to another county due to the conflicts of interest: a former presidng judge (Margaret McVeigh) was a witness and several Passaic County officers were working at the courthouse and also were witnesses as well.  Caposela said that he was very upset with "judge" Miguel De la Carrera because he should have transferred the case 6 years ago!  

Now, the State has most likely lost the case, due to the violation of the speedy trial rights of Dr. Stephanatos, among other reasons.

 The new judge is expected to dismiss the case for a number of reasons: violation of speedy trial rights, perjured testimony, failure to provide discovery, misleading the grand jury, prosecutorial misconduct, and so on.


Dr. Stephanatos suffered significant economic and non-economic losses. Many millions in damages.
 
In addition to the loss of his freedom and the loss of his dignity, he also lost income, family time, etc. You can understand.



The criminal case against Dr. Stephanatos is meritless, that is why it has been delayed for 6.5 years and counting. They have not even provided discovery!   And the Passaic County Sheriff, Richard Berdnik, claims that all information about the names of the sheriff's officer's and their telecommunications, emails, phone calls does not exist anymore.  Basically Berdnik has destroyed all the evidence to prevent the conviction of his officers for perjury,  conspiracy to violate civil rights, and many other offenses.  The thugs, who call themselves law enforcement officers, at work in Passaic County, the most corrupt county in New Jersey.



Here are some links regarding Dr. Stephanatos' criminal case:

http://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2016/03/explosive-bombshell-ronald-lucas.html

https://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2016/03/proofs-that-ron-lucas-was-not-at-scene_17.html

http://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2015/12/perjured-employees-and-prosecutorial.html

http://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2016/03/is-passaic-county-sheriff-richard_13.html

http://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-corrupt-andor-incompetent-chancery.html

http://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2016/01/walter-dewey-jr-of-passaic-county_14.html

https://sites.google.com/site/metropolitanenvironmental/explosive-bombshell-ronald-a-lucas-defrauded-new-jersey-s-police-and-firemen-system-by-claiming-that-he-suffered-on-the-job-injury
==========================

The Honorable Ernest M. Caposela, A.J.S.C.

Assignment Judge

Passaic County Courthouse

77 Hamilton Street, 6th Floor

Paterson, NJ 07505

Phone: 973-247-8139

Fax: 973-247-8409

RE: STATE V. STEPHANATOS

DOCKET NO.  11002878

Indictment No. 11-09-00810-I

October 11, 2017

Dear Judge Caposela:

I want to apologize for this informal letter and email asking for a status of the case because Mr. Miles Feinstein has not made any progress in obtaining the requested discovery, despite my daily requests for updates.  

After repeated requests for case status, Mr. Feinstein finally called me on September 12, 2017 to tell me that the scheduled hearing on that date has been cancelled.  He provided several of his typical excuses for the adjournment that I will not iterate here.  He then continued to promise me that he will have a meeting with the prosecutor, Mr. Nubar Kasaryan, to go over the file and the discovery request.  He did state that Mr. Nubar Kasaryan told him that the Passaic County Sheriff did not provide with any additional information.  Mr. Feinstein stated that this may very well constitute destruction of evidence among other things.  He also said that he was ordered by you to meet with the prosecutor and if necessary file another motion with this Court.  I have yet to hear anything from him since the September 12, 2017 phone call.

That is why I am in the difficult position of writing again to the Court to provide you with the attached DVD OF SHERIFF RADIO TRANSMISSIONS we received two years ago from Peter Roby.  We want all the caller names on that DVD.  These callers are potential important exculpatory witnesses.  This information will also help me determine the location/whereabouts of Ronald A. Lucas and D’Agostino.  As I indicated to the Court from my letters from the Bergen County Jail, an informant told me that the Passaic County Sheriff has been deleting the evidence on this case, after the bombshell revelation that Lucas had a pre-existing injury in his shoulder by playing linebacker position for many years and by lifting heavy weights and that I never threatened Robert Del Vecchio with any violence.  The prosecutor(s) and the Passaic County Sheriff have yet to refute these allegations made by me almost two years ago.  THEY HAVE THE DUTY TO RESPOND WITH CONCRETE EVIDENCE REFUTING THESE ALLEGATIONS, BUT THEY HAVE NOT DONE SO.  THIS SHOULD TELL SOMETHING TO THIS COURT.

THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND EXCULPATORY INFORMATION THAT I MUST HAVE.

You can see from that info in the attached PDF file that the recorder ID is VR-725.  The caller ID has been removed.  We need to know the caller’s ID and the recording made.

I was arrested on June 28, 2011, more than 6.0 years ago using fraudulent charges and false testimony (see our still pending Motion to Dismiss submitted to the Court in 2015) and I still have not received the requested discovery of case evidence.  My speedy trial rights have been clearly violated.  During the Chambers meeting in April 2017 the State signed a Consent Order to provide the requested discovery over a period of 45 days.  That order was also signed by you and Mr. Miles Feinstein.  Yet, more than 6 months later, I have not even received the requested discovery (which discovery I have been begging Feinstein to obtain it since 2012!). 

I am only communicating with the Court due to the significant financial strain that the case delays have caused and continue to place on me.  My wife is threatening to leave me due to the enormous stress placed on the relationship and on her by these wrongful charges.  I cannot find a job because the employers run background checks and they see the arrest record and they deny me a job. 

So, I am pretty desperate for the case to move forward as fast as possible to clear my name.  This is the reason I am writing to the Court and because I have not seen anything from Mr. Feinstein despite my numerous emails and faxes to him.  (I have the record of the email and faxes I sent him asking for progress updates).

Respectfully Submitted,

Basilis N. Stephanatos

bstephanatos@gmail.com

(201) 366-4588

(973) 897-8162

Fax: (973) 810-0440

Very Truly Yours,

Basilis (Bill) N. Stephanatos, PhD, PE, JD

Tel.: (201) 366-4588

Tel.: (973) 897-8162

Fax: (973) 810-0440

E-mail: bstephanatos@gmail.com

E-MAIL CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE

The contents of this e-mail message and any attachments are intended solely for the addressee(s) and may contain confidential and/or legally privileged information.  If you are the intended recipient, be aware that your use of any confidential or personal information may be restricted by state and federal privacy laws.  If you are not the intended recipient of this message or if this message has been addressed to you in error, please immediately alert the sender by reply e-mail and then delete this message and any attachments from any computer.

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FORMER PASSAIC COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICER RONALD A. LUCAS LIED DURING HIS GRAND JURY TESTIMONY WHEN HE CLAIMED THAT HE INJURED HIS LEFT SHOULDER DURING A FALL AT A WAYNE TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY PROPERTY. HE IN FACT HAD PRIOR INJURIES BY PLAYING FOOTBALL FOR MANY YEARS AND LIFTING WEIGHTS As part of an investigation we have been performing, we discovered that Ronald A. Lucas, a former Passaic County sheriff officer with the Civil Division lied about his on-the-job shoulder injury. Lucas claimed that he fell on the job on June 28, 2011 at 687 Indian Road, Wayne, NJ and that he injured his left shoulder requiring several pins. He then filed a disability claim with the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits (Police and Firemen Retirement System). He was granted disability for one year with subsequent review. After he retired with claimed disability, he obtained a job as part-time security guard at the Pequannock High School.

We discovered that Mr. Lucas suffered shoulder injuries while playing football and lifting heavy weights over his lifetime. He was a linebacker with the Pompton Lakes Cardinals, using his shoulder to hit and tackle his opponents during practice and during football games. We are attaching a picture showing that he was #41 in the Cardinal’s Pompton Lake football team. Lucas has fallen on his shoulder probably thousand times during his athletic and training career.

Everybody knows that linebackers hit and tackle their opponents using their shoulders. These athletes also lift heavy weights and they end-up injuries their shoulders. He even made the All County Team in 1980, showing how hard he was working out. Based on our investigation, we found that weight lifting athletes do suffer shoulder injuries of the type claimed by Lucas.

He also trained his two sons (Dean Lucas and Ronnie Lucas) into playing TE and DE positions also with the Cardinals football team. In fact, linebackers suffer at least 13.5 percent of all football injuries and at least 65 percent of the linebackers end up undergoing surgery.
We have obtained photos showing Mr. Lucas lifting weights, after his alleged job-ending disability. See for example the attached image that is dated December 2013.

It is obvious to a reasonable and objective person that Lucas (in his mid-50s) took this incident on June 28, 2011 to claim on-the job-injury to be able to repair his previously injured shoulder at taxpayers’ expense and to retire and then blame Basilis Stephanatos for his injuries. After he retired, he started the double dipping. The finest of New Jersey at "work". But he was caught and he will face the consequences.



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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 30, 2013
Two New Jersey Investors Plead Guilty for Their Roles in Bid-rigging Schemes at Municipal Tax Lien Auctions
Investigation Has Yielded 14 Guilty Pleas


Two financial investors who purchased municipal tax liens pleaded guilty today for their roles in a conspiracy to rig bids at auctions conducted by New Jersey municipalities for the sale of those tax liens, the Department of Justice announced.

A felony charge was filed today in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark, against Robert U. Del Vecchio Sr., of Hawthorne, N.J. According to the charge, from in or about 2000 until approximately December 2008, Del Vecchio Sr. participated in a conspiracy to rig bids at auctions for the sale of municipal tax liens in New Jersey by agreeing to allocate among certain bidders which liens each would bid on. Additionally, a felony charge was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark, against Michael Mastellone, of Cedar Knolls, N.J. for participating in a similar conspiracy from in or about 2000 until approximately February 2009. The department said that Del Vecchio Sr. and Mastellone proceeded to submit bids in accordance with the agreements and purchased tax liens at collusive and non-competitive interest rates.

“By conspiring to rig the bids of municipal tax liens, the conspirators profited at the expense of those already struggling financially,” said Scott D. Hammond, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement program. “Protecting Americans from these types of bid-rigging schemes remains a high priority for the division.”

The department said the primary purpose of the conspiracy was to suppress and restrain competition in order to obtain selected municipal tax liens offered at public auctions at non-competitive interest rates. When the owner of real property fails to pay taxes on that property, the municipality in which the property is located may attach a lien for the amount of the unpaid taxes. If the taxes remain unpaid after a waiting period, the lien may be sold at auction. State law requires that investors bid on the interest rate delinquent property owners will pay upon redemption. By law, the bid opens at 18 percent interest and, through a competitive bidding process, can be driven down to zero percent. If a lien remains unpaid after a certain period of time, the investor who purchased the lien may begin foreclosure proceedings against the property to which the lien is attached.

According to the court documents, Del Vecchio Sr. and Mastellone were involved in the conspiracy with others not to bid against one another at municipal tax lien auctions in New Jersey. Since the conspiracy permitted the conspirators to purchase tax liens with limited competition, each conspirator was able to obtain liens which earned a higher interest rate. Property owners were therefore made to pay higher interest on their tax debts than they would have paid had their liens been purchased in open and honest competition, the department said.

A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals. The maximum fine for a Sherman Act violation may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims if either amount is greater than the $1 million statutory maximum.

Today’s pleas are the 13th and 14th guilty pleas resulting from an ongoing investigation into bid rigging or fraud related to municipal tax lien auctions. Nine individuals – Isadore H. May, Richard J. Pisciotta Jr., William A. Collins, Robert W. Stein, David M. Farber, Robert E. Rothman, Stephen E. Hruby, David Butler and Norman T. Remick – and three companies – DSBD LLC, Crusader Servicing Corp. and Mercer S.M.E. Inc. – have previously pleaded guilty as part of this investigation.

Today’s charges were brought in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed nearly 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,900 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s New York Office and the FBI’s Atlantic City, N.J., office. Anyone with information concerning bid rigging or fraud related to municipal tax lien auctions should contact the Antitrust Division’s New York Office at 212-335-8000, visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.htm or contact the Atlantic City Resident Agency of the FBI at 609-677-6400.