Three Paterson men were arrested Tuesday after investigators linked them to an August robbery involving cash, a stolen phone and demands for a mobile banking transfer.
TEANECK, NJ — A man who entered a vehicle to buy THC cartridges was confronted by three armed suspects who stole his cash and demanded additional money through a banking app, according to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella.
Zamair Johnson, 23, Zaier Jones, 24, and Jaden Nickels, 25, all of Paterson, were arrested October 20 following a joint investigation by county detectives and Teaneck police.
Acquaintance arrived with two other men
The robbery occurred shortly after 11 p.m. August 23, when the victim met an acquaintance in Teaneck to purchase THC cartridges, prosecutors said.
The acquaintance arrived with two other people in a dark-colored vehicle. Once the victim got inside, all three allegedly pointed firearms at him, took cash and threatened him while demanding that he transfer more money through a mobile banking application.
The suspects also took his cellphone before he exited the vehicle, authorities said. They fled, and the robbery was reported to Teaneck police the following day.
The announcement did not specify how much money was stolen or whether a digital transfer was completed.
Search warrants lead to arrests
Charges were authorized October 19. The next day, detectives assisted by the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team executed search warrants at the suspects’ Paterson residences.
Investigators also searched a Wayne hotel where Johnson and Nickels were staying. All three men were arrested without incident.
Suspects face robbery and weapons charges
Each defendant faces first-degree robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, terroristic threats and aggravated assault by pointing a firearm.
They were taken to the Bergen County Jail pending initial appearances in Superior Court in Hackensack. The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Three Paterson men were arrested in connection with an alleged armed robbery during a THC cartridge meetup in Teaneck.
A Tarrytown man faces death by auto and DWI charges after prosecutors say he struck a Bronx woman and ran her over with a trailer while leaving a Route 17 crash.
PARAMUS, NJ — Witnesses followed and blocked an SUV after its driver allegedly struck a woman and ran her over with a U-Haul trailer while fleeing a collision near Westfield Garden State Plaza Monday evening, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced.
Krisiann Reyes Rivera, 31, of the Bronx, died after the October 19 incident on Route 17 South. Estuardo G. Rodriguez, 31, of Tarrytown, New York, faces multiple charges, including death by auto and knowingly leaving the scene of a fatal accident.
Investigators allege Rodriguez was driving under the influence of alcohol and with a suspended license.
Woman struck after initial collision
Paramus police responded around 5:09 p.m. and found Rivera lying in the roadway with life-threatening injuries. She was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators determined that a 2024 Acura driven by Rodriguez and towing a U-Haul trailer had collided with a 2015 Buick in which Rivera was a passenger.
After that collision, Rivera exited the Buick, approached the Acura and struck one of its windows, prosecutors said. Rodriguez then allegedly accelerated, striking Rivera and knocking her down before the trailer’s rear tires ran over her.
Witnesses followed vehicle into mall property
Rodriguez drove off Route 17 South onto Garden State Plaza Boulevard within the mall property, according to investigators.
Witnesses followed the Acura and blocked it in traffic approximately a half-mile from the crash scene. They flagged down a Paramus police officer, who detained Rodriguez.
County fatal accident investigators joined Paramus police in examining the collision.
Driver jailed pending court appearance
Rodriguez was charged with second-degree death by auto, second-degree knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, third-degree endangering an injured victim and third-degree driving while suspended in a collision resulting in death.
He also received multiple motor vehicle charges, including DWI, and was taken to the Bergen County Jail pending an initial appearance in Superior Court in Hackensack.
Witnesses blocked a fleeing SUV after a Bronx woman was fatally struck near Garden State Plaza. A Tarrytown man faces death by auto, hit-and-run and DWI charges.
Nicholas Critelli faces four public lewdness cases involving women in Suffolk County, with prosecutors alleging two incidents occurred while he awaited court proceedings on earlier charges.
SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A Ronkonkoma man accused of masturbating in front of women at store parking lots was arrested again after allegedly committing two additional offenses while released on earlier charges, District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced Tuesday.
Nicholas Critelli, 20, was arrested October 16 and arraigned the following day on two counts of public lewdness. He was placed on supervised release.
Investigators believe there may be additional victims, according to the district attorney’s office.
Women reported incidents outside Walmart and Target
Prosecutors allege Critelli was sitting in his vehicle in a Walmart parking lot in Centereach around 9:40 p.m. October 1, masturbating in view of a woman passing by. She reported the incident to police.
On October 14, around 9:27 p.m., Critelli allegedly called out to another woman from a vehicle in a Target parking lot in Commack while masturbating.
“Oh my god. You’re so pretty. Are you from around here?” he allegedly said. That woman also contacted police.
Earlier allegations involved two women in Sayville
Critelli was already facing charges stemming from two June incidents.
On June 4, around 9:53 p.m., he allegedly masturbated in front of a woman in a Target parking lot in Sayville. Two days later, around 4:30 p.m., he allegedly called to a woman walking through a Sayville residential neighborhood and asked for her Snapchat information while engaging in the same conduct from his parked vehicle.
Police arrested Critelli June 16 and issued a desk appearance ticket. He was arraigned July 6 before District Court Judge Susan Berland on two misdemeanor public lewdness counts and released on his own recognizance.
Tierney criticizes bail restrictions
Tierney said the charges are not eligible for monetary bail under New York law, preventing prosecutors from requesting it in these cases.
“My office is not allowed to ask for bail despite the seriousness of the alleged crimes and the documented repeated behavior,” Tierney said.
At Critelli’s October 17 arraignment before District Court Judge Alonzo Jacobs, prosecutors stated that they would have requested bail if permitted, citing concerns about potential additional victims. Jacobs placed Critelli on supervised release.
“We will continue to prosecute the four cases against this defendant to secure justice,” Tierney said.
The charges are allegations, and Critelli is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
A Power Play multiplier turned a $50,000 Powerball prize into a $200,000 win at the eastern end of Long Island.
MONTAUK, NY – A 7-Eleven in Montauk has sold a Powerball ticket worth $200,000, bringing a major lottery win to the eastern tip of Long Island. The ticket scored a third-tier prize in Monday night’s drawing, with the Power Play option multiplying the standard payout four times.
The winning ticket was sold at 7-Eleven, located at 653 Montauk Highway in Montauk, according to the New York Lottery. The October 19 drawing produced a $200,000 prize for the ticket, making the Suffolk County convenience store the latest retailer connected to a six-figure Powerball win.
The prize came from the game’s Power Play feature, which increases eligible non-jackpot winnings based on the multiplier selected for the drawing. In this case, the standard $50,000 third-tier prize became $200,000.
Montauk Highway 7-Eleven Sells $200K Winner
The New York Lottery identified the 7-Eleven on Montauk Highway as the retailer responsible for selling the winning ticket.
Powerball’s standard third-tier prize is awarded when a player matches four of the five white balls plus the red Powerball.
That combination ordinarily pays $50,000, but the optional Power Play feature can increase the prize.
Monday’s ticket received a fourfold multiplier, raising its payout to $200,000.
According to the New York Lottery, players choose five white-ball numbers from 1 through 69 and a separate red Powerball number from 1 through 26.
Powerball drawings take place Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern.
The Lottery’s announcement confirmed the prize amount and retailer but did not include the ticket’s selected number combination.
Power Play Turns Standard Prize Into Six-Figure Payout
The Power Play option gives players an opportunity to increase eligible non-jackpot Powerball prizes.
For an additional charge when purchasing a ticket, players can add Power Play, with the applicable multiplier determined during the drawing.
Multipliers can range up to 10 times for eligible prizes, although the available multiplier options depend on the advertised jackpot. The $1 million Match 5 prize is limited to $2 million with Power Play.
For the Montauk ticket, the standard $50,000 prize was multiplied four times.
That produced a $200,000 award without the ticket matching all six numbers needed for the Powerball jackpot.
The six-figure prize adds a notable winning sale to Montauk, a coastal community at the far eastern end of Long Island.
Powerball Numbers Confirmed as Jackpot Rolls Higher
The official Powerball results confirm that Monday’s winning numbers were 8, 31, 32, 42 and 48, with Powerball 23. The Power Play multiplier was 4X, explaining how the Montauk ticket’s $50,000 base prize became $200,000.
No ticket matched all six numbers to claim the jackpot, which was estimated at more than $600 million for Monday’s drawing.
The jackpot subsequently climbed to an estimated $635 million for Wednesday, October 21, with an estimated cash value of $267.5 million.
For the Montauk winner, the prize is fixed at $200,000 regardless of how large the jackpot grows.
New York Lottery draw-game prizes generally must be claimed within one year of the drawing date, making October 19, 2027, the deadline for this ticket.
The Lottery reported contributing $3.6 billion to public schools statewide during the 2025–2026 fiscal year.
ICE confirmed Kaitlyn Tracey was removed to Canada August 15 after her arrest in a case involving an alleged assault on a teenage girl in Point Pleasant Beach.
POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — A Canadian woman accused of striking a teenage girl wearing patriotic clothing on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk during Fourth of July weekend has been deported, according to a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE removed Kaitlyn Tracey to Canada on August 15, 2026, after she overstayed her authorized admission to the United States, an ICE spokesperson said.
Alleged assault prompted local arrest
Point Pleasant Beach police arrested Tracey following the alleged boardwalk encounter. ICE listed her charges as simple assault, neglect of a child, compounding crime and harassing communication.
The incident involved a girl described in the account provided to Shore News Network as wearing America 250 clothing. ICE’s statement characterized the clothing as pro-Trump memorabilia, citing local reports.
“According to local reports, she allegedly struck a teenage girl wearing pro-Trump memorabilia on a boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach during 4th of July weekend,” the spokesperson said.
ICE says Tracey overstayed temporary admission
Tracey entered the United States on April 14, 2024, with permission to remain until September 6, 2024, according to ICE.
“In violation of our nation’s laws, she overstayed her admittance,” the spokesperson said.
ICE arrested her July 13, 2026. The agency said she received due process before being removed to Canada the following month.
The criminal allegations against Tracey remain separate from ICE’s confirmation of her immigration removal. She is presumed innocent of those charges unless proven guilty.
Attendance doubled at the Archdiocese of Newark’s third annual celebration, which honored the Filippini Sisters and supported a school project in Ethiopia.
NEWARK, NJ — A record 500 people attended the Archdiocese of Newark’s third annual Italian Heritage Mass on October 3, celebrating Catholic faith and Italian culture before a reception raised $6,000 for the Filippini Sisters.
Attendance at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart doubled last year’s turnout, according to the archdiocesan Italian Apostolate. Italian American priests and parishioners from across New Jersey joined guests of other cultural and religious backgrounds, including Methodists and Episcopalians.
Tobin emphasizes family and community
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, archbishop of Newark, urged those gathered to consider how earlier generations expressed their faith and how they could use their own gifts to serve the Church.
“When I think of the primary fruit that an Italian American identity offers, it includes a unique witness to family and community,” Tobin said.
Reflecting on the biblical parable of the landowner and his vineyard, he pointed to family meals and church festivals as ways Italian American Catholics put faith into practice.
“You are producing the sweet wine of charity and hospitality that a lonely world so desperately thirsts for,” he said.
Reception supports education and care
After Mass, guests gathered for food and music at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center. The reception honored the Filippini Sisters, a religious congregation founded in Italy and dedicated to education, for decades of service to the archdiocese.
The event raised $5,000 toward the sisters’ construction of a school in Ethiopia and another $1,000 for sisters receiving care at St. Joseph’s Hall in Morristown.
Police served a summons on Lisa Ann Caruana after an alleged violation of a peace order, releasing her pending trial.
CUMBERLAND, MD – A 61-year-old Cumberland woman is facing a criminal charge after police say she failed to comply with the terms of a court-issued peace order. Officers located Lisa Ann Caruana on Monday and served her with a summons connected to the alleged violation.
Caruana, 61, of Cumberland, was charged with failure to comply, according to a Tuesday, October 20, announcement from the Cumberland Police Department. She was released after being served with the summons and is awaiting trial.
The department did not disclose the circumstances surrounding the original peace order or specify which provision Caruana allegedly violated. Police also did not release information about the person protected by the order.
Police Serve Summons Following Alleged Peace Order Violation
According to the Cumberland Police Department, officers served Caruana with a summons Monday, October 19, after an alleged failure to follow the terms of an existing peace order.
A Maryland peace order is a civil court order intended to protect someone from certain conduct, including threats, harassment or abuse, depending on the circumstances and terms established by a judge.
The conditions of each order can vary, and violating those conditions can result in criminal enforcement.
In Caruana’s case, police reported that a summons had been issued before officers located her.
The department did not disclose when the underlying peace order was granted or whether the alleged violation involved prohibited contact, harassment or another restriction.
Cumberland Woman Released Pending Court Proceedings
After serving the summons, officers released Caruana pending trial.
The department’s announcement did not indicate that she was transported to jail or held for a detention hearing.
No additional charges were identified in the police report.
The case will proceed through the court system, where the alleged violation will be considered.
A criminal charge for failure to comply with a peace order does not, by itself, establish that the underlying conduct occurred.
Caruana is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The Cumberland Police Department has not announced a court date or released further information about the circumstances of the case.
After more than 40 years of marriage, a Kingsville couple says their lottery windfall won’t change a thing—not even their lunch plans.
KINGSVILLE, MD – A Baltimore County couple just won $50,000 playing the Maryland Lottery, but don’t expect a fancy vacation, a new car or an expensive dinner. After more than four decades of marriage, the Kingsville husband and wife have decided the perfect celebration is an Italian cold cut sub.
The couple claimed the $50,000 top prize on a Gold Bar Bingo 7th Edition scratch-off Monday, October 19, at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. The wife purchased the winning $5 ticket at the Shell gas station at 9005 Belair Road in Nottingham, but asked her husband to handle the prize claim.
The couple plans to put every dollar of their winnings into the bank and continue living exactly as they did before. Their unusually modest reaction to a five-figure windfall has turned an ordinary scratch-off win into a memorable lottery story.
Forty Years of Marriage and One $50K Lottery Ticket
According to the Maryland Lottery, the wife was the one who purchased the winning Gold Bar Bingo ticket.
But when the time came to claim the prize, she turned to her husband.
“What’s mine is his and what’s his is mine,” she told Lottery officials during their visit to Baltimore.
The couple has been married for more than 40 years and said their winnings won’t bring any significant changes to their lifestyle.
Instead of booking a vacation or planning a lavish celebration, they settled on a considerably simpler reward.
“We’re going to get an Italian cold cut sub and go on with life as it was,” the husband said.
He added that life was already good before the lottery prize came along.
The wife described the win as “a miracle” and expressed gratitude for the unexpected financial boost.
“We are very appreciative,” she said.
Her previous largest lottery prize was approximately $2,000, won several years earlier.
The latest ticket increased that personal record dramatically, delivering a $50,000 top prize without changing the couple’s outlook on life.
Nottingham Shell Station Sells Winning Gold Bar Bingo Ticket
The winning scratch-off was purchased at the Shell gas station located at 9005 Belair Road in Nottingham, Baltimore County.
The retailer will receive a $500 bonus from the Maryland Lottery for selling the top-prize ticket.
The couple’s winning game was Gold Bar Bingo 7th Edition, a $5 scratch-off that launched in July.
The game began with seven $50,000 top prizes, and the Kingsville couple’s win marked the second top prize claimed.
That left five $50,000 top prizes available as of the Lottery’s October 20 announcement.
The game also had six remaining $10,000 prizes, along with tens of thousands of smaller prizes ranging from $5 to $5,000.
Players can review current prize availability through the Lottery’s official scratch-off listings, since remaining prize counts change as tickets are sold and claimed.
A $50K Windfall With No Plans for Big Spending
While many lottery winners talk about major purchases or dream vacations, the Kingsville couple made it clear that they have no intention of changing their daily routine.
Their entire $50,000 prize is headed into the bank.
The celebratory meal, meanwhile, will be an Italian cold cut sub rather than an expensive restaurant dinner.
The couple’s story offers an unusual ending to a major lottery win: a substantial financial cushion, a simple lunch and a return to the life they already enjoy.
For the longtime married pair, the money is welcome, but the prize won’t change their priorities.
An argument near Bridge Street escalated into an alleged knife attack, leaving a 51-year-old man in jail without bond.
CUMBERLAND, MD – A 51-year-old Cumberland man is being held without bond after police say he repeatedly swung a kitchen knife at another man during an argument near a city park. The suspect initially approached officers on foot patrol and claimed that he had been assaulted, but a witness and the alleged victim gave investigators a different account.
Deron Michael Elbin, 51, of Cumberland, was arrested Monday, October 19, after officers investigated the confrontation near Bridge Street. He faces first-degree assault, second-degree assault and reckless endangerment charges.
The case unfolded when Elbin approached Cumberland police officers patrolling near the park and reported being assaulted. Investigators subsequently located a witness who alleged that Elbin had actually been the person wielding a knife during the confrontation.
Man Reports Assault, Then Police Hear Different Story
According to the Cumberland Police Department, officers were conducting a foot patrol near a park in the Bridge Street area when Elbin approached them.
He told officers that he had been assaulted.
Police began investigating the complaint and located a witness who described a confrontation involving Elbin and another man.
The witness alleged that Elbin had swung a knife at the other individual several times during an argument.
That account prompted officers to detain Elbin while they searched for the other person involved.
Investigators then located the alleged victim, who provided an account consistent with the witness’s description.
The man told officers that he and Elbin had been arguing when Elbin produced a kitchen knife and began swinging it at him.
Police did not disclose what caused the disagreement or whether the two men knew each other before the incident.
The department also did not report that the alleged victim suffered a stab wound.
Knife Assault Suspect Held Without Bond in Allegany County
After interviewing the witness and alleged victim, police placed Elbin under arrest.
He was transported to the Allegany County Detention Center, where he was held without bond pending trial, according to the department’s October 20 announcement.
Elbin faces three criminal charges: first-degree assault, second-degree assault and reckless endangerment.
First-degree assault is among Maryland’s more serious violent crime charges and can apply to allegations involving serious physical injury or assault with a firearm. The precise legal basis for the charge against Elbin was not explained in the department’s initial release.
Reckless endangerment addresses conduct alleged to create a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury.
The department did not indicate whether the kitchen knife was recovered or submitted as evidence.
Cumberland Park Confrontation Heads to Court
The encounter began as a complaint from Elbin himself, but the investigation took a different direction after officers located a witness.
Police relied on statements from the witness and alleged victim in making the arrest.
The department has not publicly released the alleged victim’s identity or provided further details about the confrontation.
Elbin remains accused of the three offenses, with his case awaiting court proceedings.
The charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A friend’s thoughtful gesture turned a miserable stretch of business troubles into a half-million-dollar surprise.
UPPER MARLBORO, MD – A Maryland contractor struggling through one of the toughest periods of his career received a scratch-off ticket from his business partner and nearly dismissed it without a second thought. That $20 gift turned out to be worth $500,000, delivering a remarkable turnaround after weeks of financial and business-related stress.
The Charles County man claimed his half-million-dollar prize Friday, October 16, at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. The winning Gifts of Green scratch-off had originally been purchased by his business partner’s wife, who gave it to her husband before he passed it along to cheer up his struggling friend.
The ticket was purchased at Kettering BP, located at 10604 Campus Way in Upper Marlboro. The winner initially left it sitting in his briefcase, convinced that his history of disappointing lottery results meant there was little reason to scratch it immediately.
Business Troubles Pile Up Before Unexpected Lottery Gift
The winner operates a general contracting business with a friend, and recent setbacks had placed significant pressure on their operation.
He told Maryland Lottery officials that several problems arose within days of each other, making an already difficult business environment even more stressful.
“The last few years have been tough for us in general, but then all that bad news in a couple of days really had me feeling low,” he recalled.
His circumstances looked considerably different when he visited Lottery headquarters to collect his prize.
“You should have seen me a few weeks ago,” he told officials.
The turnaround began when his business partner’s wife purchased several scratch-off tickets and gave them to her husband.
Seeing how discouraged his friend had become, the business partner passed one of those tickets along to him.
“My partner’s wife bought him a couple of scratch-off tickets, and to cheer me up, he gave me one of them,” the winner explained.
The gesture was intended to lift his spirits, with no indication that anyone expected a major lottery prize.
$20 Scratch-Off Sits in Briefcase Before $500K Discovery
The contractor placed the Gifts of Green ticket into his briefcase and continued with his day.
He had little expectation of winning, particularly given his previous experiences with lottery games.
“I was in no hurry to play it. I never do well with Lottery tickets,” he recalled.
When he eventually scratched the ticket, he struggled to determine whether he had won.
Despite reading the game’s instructions twice, he remained uncertain about the result.
The contractor later explained that his difficult circumstances may have made the possibility of good news especially hard to accept.
“I think that I was so down that subconsciously I refused to accept that something good had happened. It just felt too good to be true,” he said.
Rather than immediately celebrating, he visited a Maryland Lottery retailer to have the ticket checked.
That verification confirmed the extraordinary news: the re-gifted scratch-off was worth $500,000.
“At first just a flood of relief,” he said of the moment he learned the prize was real.
He also described feeling grateful for his business partner and the thoughtful gesture that led to the win.
Upper Marlboro Gas Station Earns $1K Bonus for Winning Ticket
The winning ticket was purchased at Kettering BP, located at 10604 Campus Way in Upper Marlboro. The gas station will receive a $1,000 retailer bonus for selling the top-prize scratch-off.
According to the Maryland Lottery’s October 20 announcement, Gifts of Green launched in October 2025 with seven $500,000 top prizes.
As of the announcement, one $500,000 top prize remained unclaimed, along with one $25,000 second-tier prize.
The game costs $20 per ticket, and the contractor’s winning ticket reached him through a gift originally purchased for someone else.
His experience adds another unusual chapter to Maryland lottery winners’ stories, showing how a thoughtful gesture between business partners turned into an unexpected financial windfall.
For the Charles County contractor, the biggest impact was not simply the money. It was the relief of receiving good news after a particularly difficult period and the gratitude he felt toward the people who had supported him.
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