Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced today that an Essex County jury has convicted Woody Armand, 44, of Bloomfield of unlawful possession of a handgun, trafficking in personal information, forgery, and unlawful possession of heroin and oxycodone, following a trial before the Honorable Verna Leath, Judge of the Superior Court.

According to Assistant Prosecutor Peter A. Wojcik, who prosecuted the case, on Nov. 4, 2018, officers of the Bloomfield Police Department, as well as agents of the United States Postal Service, executed a search warrant at Armand’s Bloomfield apartment.

There, officers found multiple debit cards that did not belong to Armand, as well as multiple checks on which Armand was neither the issuer nor the payee. Additionally, officers found 37 decks of heroin, two oxycodone pills, printing equipment, and over 1,000 blank checks. A .40 Smith and Wesson handgun was also found hidden behind a painting in the stairwell.

At trial, testimony was introduced to show Armand was printing fraudulent checks at his residence. These checks would then be deposited in a willing participant’s bank account. The funds would later be withdrawn and split with individuals who were cooperating with the illegal scheme.

Following a three-day trial and three days of jury deliberations, the jury found Armand guilty on all counts.

Armand has eight prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, conspiracy, unlawful possession of a weapon, credit card theft, conspiracy to commit theft by deception, theft by deception, and receiving stolen property. He also has a federal conviction for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 12, 2019.

Because of his criminal history, Armand is eligible for an extended term of imprisonment, which could mean up to 30 years in state prison with 10 years of parole ineligibility. He also faces two additional indictments.

“We thank the officers of the Bloomfield Police Department for their tireless efforts and dedication to the investigation and prosecution of this case. We also thank the jury for their patience and service in this rather lengthy trial,” said Assistant Prosecutor Wojcik.

“Hopefully this sends a strong message to everyone involved in similar fraudulent schemes: you will be caught, and you will be prosecuted,” Assistant Prosecutor Wojcik added.

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced today that Patricia Layton Piccinno, 50, of Boonton was sentenced to three years in New Jersey State Prison for stealing more than $500,000 from her 80-year-old mother-in-law and her husband, a Bloomfield Police detective.

The state had recommended four years in New Jersey State Prison but the Honorable Judge James W. Donohue, Judge of the Superior Court, instead imposed a three-year sentence.

The Judge also ordered Piccinno to pay restitution to both her husband and mother-in-law. For her mother-in-law, she was ordered to pay back $208,503 and to her husband, she was ordered to pay back $127,315, although the values of the thefts were greater.

The defendant was also required to forfeit the vehicle seized in this case, a 2012 Jeep Liberty.

According to Assistant Prosecutor Cynthia Teller, who handled the case, from September 2013 to January 2018, Piccinno stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from her husband of nearly 20 years and her widowed mother-in-law. She stole, hid and stopped mail so her husband would not discover her crimes. She also stole and diverted monies without his knowledge or consent.

She opened a post office box in her mother-in-law’s name and had mail go to her residence instead. Piccinno opened and racked up credit cards in both victim’s names. She stole large amounts of jewelry from both victims, some of which was recovered at pawn shops.

She withdrew all of her mother-in-law’s monies in her savings and checking accounts, as well as from her insurance and investment accounts, forged checks and stole pension and Social Security checks, Assistant Prosecutor Teller said.

She created fake emails to cover her stories, created fake stationary from a certified public accountant to pretend that the CPA did work for her mother-in-law when in fact he never did. She doctored and altered bank statements, so they would reflect a higher balance, added Assistant Prosecutor Teller. She also altered her mother-in-law’s 1099 tax return.

Piccinno was indicted and charged with multiple counts, including first-degree money laundering, second degree theft, impersonation, forgery and falsifying and tampering with records.

On Oct. 28, 2018, Piccinno pleaded guilty to 10 out of 12 counts of the indictment.
She pleaded guilty to identity theft from her mother-in-law, multiple counts of impersonation of her mother-in-law and her husband, forgery, theft by deception, credit card theft and tampering with records.

“This is a tragic case because of all the damage the defendant caused. Not only did she injure her relatives financially, but she inflicted emotional injury on them,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor Teller.

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced today that Saladine Nunez, 30, of the Fords section of Woodbridge pled guilty to using a fake passport to attempt to collect nearly $250,000 fraudulently wiring to him.

Assistant Prosecutor Sarah Turk, who handled the case, said between Aug. 1 and Aug. 12, 2017, Nunez opened a bank account in another person’s name and $244,973 was wired into the account. He was able to withdraw $133,196 in two cashier’s checks, one made payable to a Limited Liability Corporation and one made payable to in the name of the false identity he had used to open an account at Bank of America of Irvington.

When Nunez returned to Bank of America to withdraw the remaining money in the account, the bank realized a fraud had occurred and he was arrested and charged with money laundering, theft by deception, identity theft, and false government documents.

He subsequently pled guilty to second degree theft by deception before the Honorable Arthur Batista, Judge of the Superior Court. Under the terms of the plea agreement Nunez will be sentenced to three years in New Jersey State Prison and must pay full restitution. Sentencing is scheduled for March 26.

“Though crimes of this nature are nonviolent, there is a great societal impact,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor Turk. “In this case both the plea and restitution will make the victim whole and hopefully deter others from committing fraud in the future.’’

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced today that Karif Hyder, 36, of Newark was sentenced to six years in New Jersey State Prison yesterday by the Honorable Mark Ali, Judge of the Superior Court, for his role in a $700,000 counterfeit check cashing scheme that compromised numerous government agencies.

Hyder created fraudulent checks and distributed them to others who negotiated them. He drove the people around in his truck and gave the participants a portion of the check money after they cashed the checks. In all more than $767,335 in fake checks were negotiated.

The case was brought to the attention of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit by the New Jersey State Police after counterfeit checks were being negotiated against the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority account as well as the East Orange municipal pay roll.

Hyder’s vehicle was linked to the crimes after he was observed driving co-conspirators to banks to cash the fake checks. When a search warrant was executed at his home detectives found, among other things, a tremendous amount of checks, printers, computers, check paper, check software programs, various identifying cards, and various office supplies, according to Assistant Prosecutor Cynthia Teller, who handled the case.

A search warrant for his vehicle used to further the check fraud was also executed. In addition to cell phones, officers found in the truck various counterfeit checks from various businesses and entities.
In addition to the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and the city of East Orange payroll, a total of 50 accounts were compromised, including the New Jersey Family Support Payment Center, Essex County WorkFirst, Essex County Correction Inmate Trust, Community Educations Inc. Resident Account for Delany Hall and Logan Hall, Youthbuild Newark, Inc.

On Sept. 25, 2017 Hyder entered a guilty plea to first degree money laundering, third degree conspiracy to commit forgery, second degree trafficking in personal identifying information and third degree possession of forgery devices.

Yesterday he was sentenced to six years for those crimes. In addition to the prison sentence, Hyder must pay restitution.

“The investigation revealed that this criminal activity had been occurring over a period of time dating back to at least 2013,’’said Assistant Prosecutor Teller.

Acting Prosecutor Laurino lauded the New Jersey State Police and the other cooperating agencies for their assistance in the investigation which lead to Hyder’s arrest and conviction.

New York Man Admits to Conspiring to Steal Approximately $700,000 in High-End Merchandise from Newark Airport

 Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that David LaCarriere, 29, of New York City pled guilty yesterday before the Honorable Michael Nelson, Judge of the Superior Court, to conspiring to steal approximately $700,000 in high end merchandise from the cargo area of Newark Airport on Christmas Day 2014.

LaCarriere, who was a driver for a trucking company, conspired with another man to use phony documents to pick up a truckload of Hermes and Chanel clothing, jewelry, pocket books and other items from Newark Airport.

Originally charged with money laundering, theft and conspiracy to commit theft, LaCarriere pled guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of over $75,000 in exchange for a five-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison.

Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 18 before Judge Nelson.

Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor Walter Dirkin, who handled the case, said an unindicted co-conspirator, entered the cargo area of Newark Airport with a forged air bill and used that document to take merchandise valued at $700,000. That man and LaCarriere then took the truck to a facility near Kennedy Airport. Approximately $350,000 in merchandise was recovered.

The theft came to light when the true owners came to pick up the merchandise and were told it had previously been taken. Detective Daniel McCarty of the Port Authority Police Department identified and tracked the movement of the merchandise and LaCarriere through GPS tracking in the truck he used and LaCarriere’s cell phone.

Dirkin credited Det. McCarty with the identification and arrest of the defendant that resulted in the plea.

Four Arrested and Charged with Collecting Unemployment While Working

Three Worked for the City of Newark

 Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that four individuals, including three employed by the city of Newark, were arrested today and charged with theft by deception for collecting unemployment benefits while employed.

Balaal Lewis, 38, of Newark; Tawanda Faulcon, 44, of Newark; Tyrone Farrington, 43, of Newark; and Melinda Dos Santos, 26, of Newark were arrested. Santos was working for Aramark at Rutgers University Newark. All the others were employed by the city of Newark.

It is alleged that the individuals collected unemployment benefits while they were gainfully employed, according to Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor Walter J. Dirkin. The amounts range from $7,000 to $23,000.

Their first court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 12.

The investigation was conducted by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations.

The investigation is active and ongoing and other arrests are possible.

These are accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they enter a guilty plea or are found guilty in a court of law.