Crime News

Franklin Township and three other Somerset County towns reported one bias incident each in 2016, according to a report released by the state Attorney General’s Office. That was a reduction from the two bias crimes reported in Franklin in 2015, according to the report, which was released on March 27. The four bias crimes recorded in Somerset County in 2016 …

            All photos, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office. A month-long joint-agency investigation resulted earlier this month in the seizure of more than $4,000 worth of illegal narcotics and the arrests of three people charged with distributing drugs in the township and New Brunswick. The detainees stated that all drug purchases were made on the darknet website …

A 17-year-old township youth faces weapon and narcotics charges after he was found with a loaded handgun and drug paraphernalia in Franklin Middle school. The youth was part of the school district’s “Road to Success” alternative high school program, which is run out of the middle school. The program is geared to help those students having difficulty in high school …

Township Clerk Ann Marie McCarthy returned to her job March 9 after the Somerset County Prosecutor dropped insurance fraud charges against her. McCarthy was “not available for comment” the day she returned, said Deputy Township Clerk Msiba Holliman. Holliman was Acting Clerk in McCarthy’s absence. McCarthy was charged on Dec. 14, 2017 with 3rd Degree Insurance Fraud and 3rd Degree …

The discovery by a Franklin Middle School student of a bullet in the school gym March 6 led to a lock down and search by township police. No weapons or other ammunition was found in the search of school lockers and student backpacks, according to statements released by the school district. Students were cleared to leave about two hours hours …

Questions remain unanswered in the Feb. 23 arrest in Franklin High School of a 17-year-old township youth who was allegedly found with a loaded gun in school. According to a Feb. 27 press release from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the youth was found to have a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun in his backpack. The youth – whose name was …

A 70-year-old township man and retired math teacher has been released from Somerset County Jail following his Feb. 23 arrest on child pornography related charges. Kent Kollmer of Norris Road in Somerset was released through a court order, according to court documents. Kollmer taught math for nearly 40 years in New Brunswick High School, retiring in 2010, according to records …

Authorities are investigating information received by township police Feb. 23 which prompted an increased police presence at Franklin High School. The matter is the subject of an “ongoing juvenile investigation” by the FTPD and Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office detectives, SCPO spokesman Jack Bennett said in an email. “No additional information to be released at this time.” At about 1:50 p.m. …

Two men were arrested and a third is still at large in connection with a Jan. 27 incident that began with a robbery in Green Brook and ended with an attempted carjacking and an abandoned getaway vehicle in the township. Antwon Barksdale, 19, of Irvington, and Mario Cumberbatch, 32, of Brooklyn, N.Y. were arrested on various charges, including armed robbery, …

Update 2: NJ Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said he has “serious concerns” regarding how ICE picked up Liem and Sanger, according to a press release. In a Jan. 25 letter to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Grewal wrote that “the fact that ICE arrested two parents as they were driving away from their children’s school is deeply upsetting. I …