In 2015, Buono and former Newark police officer Dino D’Elia, 52, of Newark were charged with two counts of computer theft and one count of conspiracy for illegally accessing a private database made available to police agencies to investigate insurance fraud.

Buono gained access to the database and D’Elia would later sell the information taken from the database to third parties for as much as $100 per search.

The illegal breach was discovered in 2014, prompting an investigation by the Newark Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

The Buono accessed the databased on more than 900 occasions. D’Elia sold the information through his private investigation business.

Today Buono admitted his role in the illegal scheme. Under the terms of a plea agreement he is expected to be sentenced to a non-custodial prison term. However, he must forfeiture his job as a police captain and all future public employment.

Sentencing for Buono is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2018 before Judge Ravin.

D’Elia pled guilty in April. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 1, before Judge Ravin.

Essex County Jury Convicts Two Bloomfield Police Officers on All Counts

 Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that an Essex County jury has convicted two Bloomfield police officers of official misconduct and related charges in connection with a June 7, 2012 motor vehicle stop on the Garden State Parkway in which the officers falsely accused a motorist of resisting arrest and going for an officer’s weapon.

Following a five week trial before the Honorable Michael L. Ravin, Judge of the Superior Court, the jury found Sean Courter, 35, of Englishtown and Orlando Trinidad, 34, of Bloomfield guilty of conspiracy to commit official misconduct, official misconduct, tampering with public records, falsifying public records and false swearing. In addition Trinidad was also found guilty of simple assault.

A third police officer, Albert Sutterlin, pled guilty on Oct. 17, 2013 to falsifying and tampering with records – 4^th degree offenses. He resigned from the police department.

Assistant Prosecutor Berta Rodriguez, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Frantzou Simon, said, “Justice was finally served for Marcus Jeter. These officers give a bad name to all the good, honest, decent police officers. Courter and Trinidad took an oath to uphold the law. On that day in June of 2012 they violated that oath. They accused Mr. Jeter of criminal acts that led to him being charged and indicted. He was facing five years in prison. But for the dash camera in the second police vehicle, he might be in prison today.’’

The events that resulted in the charges against the officers began with the arrest of Jeter. Bloomfield police officers were called to Jeter’s home when he and his girlfriend got into a verbal dispute. Jeter voluntarily left the home and the premises. Officer Courter followed Jeter onto the Garden State Parkway and stopped him. Courter tried to get Jeter to leave his vehicle but he refused saying he feared for his life. Courter called for back up.

When Trinidad arrived on the scene he struck the front of Jeter’s car. Courter then broke the window and with help from Trinidad pulled Jeter from the car.

Following the incident the officers wrote police reports stating that Jeter attempted to grab Courter’s gun and stating that he struck Trinidad. Based on those reports Jeter was charged with eluding, resisting arrest, aggravated assault and attempting to disarm a police officer. For nearly a year, prosecutors only had the dashboard video from Courter’s patrol vehicle. Jeter’s lawyer sought the second dash camera video through an Open Public Records Act request. That video clearly showed Jeter’s hands up in a surrender position throughout the encounter.

Based on the newly discovered video, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the charged against Jeter and opened an investigation into the officers that resulted in an Essex County grand jury returning an indictment against the officers in January of 2014.

After the verdict was announced bail was immediately revoked by Judge Ravin and both officers were remanded to county jail to await sentencing. Sentencing is scheduled for January 11.

Both officers face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in New Jersey State Prison.

############################################

East Orange Police Officer and Two Others Indicted

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that an Essex County Grand Jury has returned a 21-count indictment charging East Orange Police Officer Rajheher Massenburg, 35, of East Orange, with official misconduct and conspiracy to distribute narcotics following a joint investigation by the East Orange Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

In addition to Massenburg, Andrew Jones, 38, of East Orange, and Wendy Rhea, 48, were also indicted for conspiracy to distribute narcotics, multiple counts of distribution of cocaine, and distribution of cocaine within 500 feet of a public park. Jones lives with Massenburg and is the father of her children.

The indictment alleges that on eight different occasions from October to December of 2013 undercover detectives purchased narcotics from Jones who operated out of, and stored narcotics in Massenburg’s North Maple Avenue home in East Orange, according to Assistant Prosecutor Adam Wells, who presented the case to the Grand Jury.

A raid on the home led to the recovery of a quantity of crack cocaine packaged for distribution, and paraphernalia indicating that cocaine was being packaged on the property among other items. Jones is in the Essex County Jail on $100,000 bond. Rhea is also being held at the Essex County Jail on $75,000 bond.  Massenburg is not in custody yet.

These are accusations. All defendants are presumed to be innocent until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

It is alleged that Nyanteng, 33, an immigration officer, who has been employed for the last three years by Homeland Security in Citizenship and Immigration at the Newark office, submitted fraudulent documents and knowingly made false statement to immigration authorities in order to bring another person into the United States from Ghana.

At 6 a.m. today detectives from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Homeland Security and ICE executed a search warrant at Nyanteng’s home located on Leslie Street in Hillside and took him into custody without incident.

The Honorable Robert H. Gardner, Judge of the Superior Court, has set bail at $30,000 with a 10 percent option.

His first court appearance is expected to be later this week.

At the time of his arrest, Nyanteng was in line for a promotion. Prior to working for Homeland Security, Nyanteng was employed by the Department of Defense.

The investigation is active and ongoing. No other information is available at this time.

Acting Prosecutor Murray commended Andrew McLees, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark Office; and Edward J. Nasiatka, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General in the New York field office; along with officials with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their assistance in this investigation.

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

Ryan pled guilty on Monday to 3rd Degree Theft of Services for using Township heavy equipment on a private construction project.

On Nov. 11, 2010 Ryan used two Irvington Township vehicles to conduct a sewer replacement project with Amber Sewer Cleaning, which is his personal construction business.

Following an investigation sparked by an anonymous complaint, on April 4, 2013 Ryan was arrested and charged. He was also suspended without pay from his job.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Ryan must forfeit his public employment. Because he has no prior convictions, there is a presumption that he will receive a probationary sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, before Judge Gardner.

James Ryan

Tresor Gopaul, 30, of Montclair pled guilty today before the Honorable Peter V. Ryan, Judge of the Superior Court, to second degree theft by unlawful taking. Gopaul is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ryan on May 30, 2014.

As Borough registrar, Gopaul was responsible for maintaining birth, marriage and death certificates, and for collecting fees when issuing official certificates. Gopaul admitted that he had been regularly skimming cash paid to the Borough for birth, death and marriage certificates beginning in 2010 and keeping the money for himself. In small increments over three years, his theft added up to $82,981, until he was suspended in August 2013 when his scheme was uncovered.

Assistant Prosecutor Adam B. Wells, who handled the case, said Gopaul is expected to be sentenced to five years in New Jersey state prison under the plea deal. The State will seek full restitution from Gopaul. He is also required to forfeit all current and future public employment.

Following the plea, A.P. Wells said, “Mr. Gopaul held a position of trust within the government of Glen Ridge, and he violated that trust by stealing from the people he served. He will now face the consequences for his actions.”

Tresor Gopaul

Rocca Gonnella, 47, of Toms River and Albert Maldonado, 42, of Elizabeth both entered guilty pleas. The men each admitted today to illegally using the access codes that allow them to gas up county vehicles and equipment to do their jobs to instead fill up their personal vehicles numerous times between Feb. 10, 2012 and May 18, 2012.

The theft was uncovered in a joint investigation involving the Essex County Inspector General’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, each man will be sentenced to 18 months in New Jersey State Prison when they are sentenced on April 28. They will also pay $2,000 each in restitution to the county, forfeit their jobs and forfeit all future public employment in the state of New Jersey.

The case was handled by Assistant Prosecutor Adam B. Wells.

Gopaul is accused of stealing money collected when people came into the borough to obtain birth certificates, death certificates and marriage certificates.

The theft came to light in August 2013 when Gopaul had taken a day off from work and the deputy registrar was covering for him. That led to an investigation of Gopaul and his subsequent arrest on Jan. 24.

Gopaul, who has since been fired, had been the registrar in the Borough since June 2010. Following his arrest he was released on a summons.

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