Juvenile Among Two Charged in Triple Shooting in Asbury Park (2024)

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ—A significant traffic incident involving a truck and a pole has necessitated the closure of Broadway between Locust Ave and State Hwy 36. Announced at 9:29 PM, the closure is expected to extend through the night and likely into tomorrow's morning rush hour.

The incident was caused by a Pepsi branded tractor trailer.

Local authorities are urging residents to find alternate routes for their morning commutes. Currently, the impact on utilities has been minimal, with only a few homes experiencing power disruptions. However, as repairs continue, more residents in the vicinity may face power losses.

The West Long Branch Emergency Management, led by Steven Cioffi, advises the public to avoid the area entirely while the situation is addressed. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

WASHINGTON, DC — The D.C. Metro Police Department has released new photographs of the suspect involved in the homicide of 16-year-old Devon Sharp. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of May 18 in the 1200 block of V Street, Northwest.

Officers arrived at the scene following reports of gunshots around 3:28 AM and found Sharp with a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries on May 20. The suspect, who was last seen fleeing in a red Dodge Charger, was captured on nearby surveillance cameras. The video and additional photos of the suspect are available here.

Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the police at 202-727-9099 or submit tips anonymously via the TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.

A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for this or any other homicide in the district.

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DORCHESTER, MA—The Justice Department initiated a civil forfeiture action today to reclaim approximately $5,315,746.29, alleged to be proceeds from a business email compromise scheme involving a workers union based in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The union was deceived into transferring $6.4 million due to a spoofed email from its investment manager purportedly.

In January 2023, the union was misled by an email that changed the beneficiary bank account for the $6.4 million payment, directing the funds to an account controlled by the fraudsters. The stolen money was then moved through various intermediary bank accounts and, in some instances, attempted to be transferred to cryptocurrency exchanges and banks in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Nigeria. Investigators have successfully traced and seized the proceeds in seven domestically held bank accounts.

This case underscores the growing problem of business email compromise schemes, which target organizations using wire transfers. These schemes often involve compromising legitimate business emails through hacking, social engineering, or by creating "spoofed" email addresses that closely mimic legitimate ones. Daily global losses from business email compromise schemes are estimated at around $8 million.

The U.S. Secret Service is leading the investigation into this case, with the Justice Department's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section managing the forfeiture process. The public is urged to remain vigilant, verifying sender email addresses and confirming payment instructions directly with recipients to avoid similar frauds.

NEWARK, DE—Evelyn Forti, a 49-year-old woman from Hempstead, NY, has been charged with identity theft following an incident at a local bank. Newark Police were called to the TD Bank on 230 East Delaware Avenue on June 5, 2024, after receiving reports of a suspicious transaction.

According to the police report, Forti attempted to withdraw funds using a fictitious identification card bearing her photo but another individual's name. Bank staff detected the irregularity and declined the transaction, alerting authorities while Forti was still on the premises.

Upon her arrest, a search revealed Forti possessed additional counterfeit items, including a fictitious credit card. She was taken into custody without further incident. Investigations are ongoing, as Forti was reportedly accompanied by several male suspects whose roles in the incident are still being assessed.

Forti is currently facing charges related to identity theft and the use of counterfeit instruments. Newark Police are continuing to investigate the extent of this alleged fraud scheme.

WASHINGTON D.C.—A retired Navy Admiral and two New York business executives were arrested today. They are charged with involvement in a bribery scheme linked to a U.S. government contract. The charges stem from an unsealed indictment detailing allegations dating from 2020 to 2022.

Robert Burke, a former four-star Admiral residing in Coconut Creek, Florida, alongside Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger of New York, co-CEOs of Company A, allegedly conspired to manipulate Navy contracts for personal gain. Burke, who had substantial authority over Naval operations across Europe, Russia, and Africa, is accused of using his influence to direct contracts to Company A despite a prior Navy order severing ties with the company.

In July 2021, despite the Navy's explicit directive, Kim and Messenger allegedly met with Burke in Washington, D.C., and arranged for him to steer a lucrative sole-source contract their way in exchange for a high-paying position at the company. This agreement also aimed to influence other Navy contracts, potentially worth hundreds of millions.

By December 2021, Burke purportedly facilitated a $355,000 contract for Company A to train Navy personnel in Italy and Spain, which was performed in January 2022. Despite these efforts, further attempts to secure additional contracts for Company A were unsuccessful. To hide his involvement, Burke allegedly made deceptive statements to the Navy, suggesting he had no role in the contract awards and that his employment discussions with Company A started well after the contracts were issued.

Burke began a lucrative position at Company A in October 2022, with a significant salary and stock options. The charges against Burke, Kim, and Messenger include conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery, with Burke facing additional charges related to conflicts of interest and making false statements.

The case is being investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the FBI, highlighting the collaborative effort to uncover and prosecute corruption within government contracting.

MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ—A severe head-on collision occurred late Wednesday night on State Highway 70 near mile marker 34.5, involving two vehicles and resulting in critical injuries for one of the drivers.

At approximately 11:24 PM, Manchester Township Police responded to the crash scene where they discovered a 2014 Acura MDX and a 2007 Ford Escape with extensive front-end damage. According to the preliminary investigation, the Acura, driven by 61-year-old Scott Steward of Browns Mills, NJ, was traveling westbound and attempted to overtake two vehicles. In doing so, it crossed into the eastbound lane, directly into the path of the Ford, driven by 22-year-old Jake Fee of East Windsor, NJ.

Both drivers, who were wearing their seatbelts, tried to swerve onto the eastbound shoulder to avoid a collision. Despite their efforts, the vehicles collided, causing the Ford to spin clockwise and crash into a tree on the roadside.

Steward sustained minor injuries and declined further medical treatment at the scene. Fee suffered extensive injuries and was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, NJ, where he is listed in critical but stable condition.

The scene was attended by multiple emergency services, including EMTs from Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, South Toms River First Aid, On-time First Aid, firefighters from Whiting Volunteer Fire Company and Joint Base MDL Fire Company, Robert Wood Johnson Paramedics, and law enforcement from Pemberton Township Police and Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Investigations Unit.

The investigation is ongoing, led by Patrolman Sage Sysol and Patrolman Michael O’Hara of the Manchester Township Traffic Safety Unit, with initial findings pointing to driver error during the overtaking maneuver as the primary cause of the crash.