MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon said today:

“In light of the recent mail bombing attempts, and following the horrific acts of murder and terrorism in Pittsburgh, I have asked that we redouble our efforts at the Morris County Sheriff’s Office in support of the strong efforts of our local police chiefs who are doing the same.”

and

“We have been continually patrolling houses of worship and points of our critical infrastructure since the time I entered office, last week, and again yesterday,  I bolstered those efforts to reassure our neighbors in the Jewish Community. We have added visits by Sheriff’s Officers to our normal patrols of these locations.  An attack on any one religion, culture or race, is an attack on us all.”

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Investigations Stephen F. Wilson, Jr., New Jersey State Police Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, and Rockaway Borough Police Chief Conrad Pepperman announce the arrest of three males in connection with a home invasion robbery that occurred on the evening of October 21, in Victory Gardens.

Carlos Rodriguez, 22, with a last known address in Victory Gardens; Victor Hernandez, 19, with a last known address in Rockaway Borough; and Marlon Martinez, 23, also with a last known address in Rockaway Borough, have each been charged with first degree Robbery, second degree Burglary, and second degree Conspiracy to commit Robbery.

An additional charge of third degree Terroristic Threats was also authorized against Rodriguez. It is alleged that on the evening of October 21, 2018, Rodriguez, Hernandez, and Martinez entered a residence located in Victory Gardens through a closed, but unlocked, front door.

The residence was occupied by the leaseholder and two guests. It is alleged that Hernandez and Martinez were both armed with weapons, specifically a baseball bat and a knife.

Upon entering the residence, it is alleged that Rodriguez opened a closet and removed a safe. It is further alleged that Rodriguez then instructed Hernandez and Martinez to demand the safe key from the leaseholder/victim or to kill all three occupants of the residence.

It is alleged that the victim turned over the key, as well as a gold necklace he was wearing, at which point the three Defendants fled the scene.

On October 23, all three Defendants were taken into custody pursuant to this ongoing investigation. Rodriguez was taken into custody in Dover. Hernandez and Martinez were taken into custody in Rockaway Borough.

Multiple law enforcement agencies have been actively involved in this investigation, including the New Jersey State Police, the Rockaway Borough Police Department, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit.

If anyone has any information related to this investigation, they are encouraged to call the Major Crimes Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6200.

Editors Note: A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, and Chief Brian C. Spring of the Pequannock Township Police Department announce the sentencing of Sergiu Jitcu, 39, of Saddle Brook, on Computer Criminal Theft charges.

On or about November 8, 2017, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office was contacted by Chilton Medical Center Director of Security who reported a theft of computer equipment from the facility by the defendant.

The defendant is now a former IT employee at Chilton Medical Center. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Specialized Crimes Division was advised that Chilton Medical Center received information from a resident of Wisconsin that he had purchased a computer hard drive on eBay from the defendant and this computer hard drive contained personal identifying information of individual(s) who may have been treated at Chilton Medical Center. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Specialized Crimes Division commenced an investigation into the allegation and, ultimately, executed a Search Warrant on the defendant’s residence and motor vehicles resulting in the seizure of various computer equipment and additional items belonging to Chilton Medical Center.

Subsequent investigation has revealed that at least one computer storage medium, which was sold on eBay by the defendant, contained data/databases with personal identifying information of patients of Chilton Medical Center.

On or about December 15, 2017, Chilton Medical Center sent notifications to patients, identified as potentially being affected by the theft, who had been treated at Chilton Medical Center advising of the incident.

The defendant plead guilty on September 4, to the following offenses based on the defendant’s criminal activity on various dates between January 1, 2015 and November 8, 2017: One count of Computer Criminal Activity, i.e. computer theft by accessing data, data base, computer storage medium or computer equipment without authorization or in excess of the authorization, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-25a, a crime of the Third degree; and one count of Theft, i.e. the taking of computer equipment from Chilton Medical Center, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a, a crime of the Third degree.

On October 26, the Hon. Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.S.C., Superior Court of New Jersey, Morris Vicinage, sentenced the defendant to non-custodial probation for a term of five years with the special condition that the defendant make restitution, via monthly payments thru the Morris County Probation Department, to Chilton Medical Center in the amount of $64,250.00.

Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Specialized Crimes Division, Financial Crimes Unit, Pequannock Township Police Department, Saddle Brook Police Department and Chilton Medical Center whose efforts contributed to the investigation and prosecution of this case.