Ex-bank manager faces 7 years in prison
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
MORRISTOWN: A former manager of a Ridgedale Avenue bank faces up to seven years in prison after admitting yesterday she stole nearly $97,500 from four customers.
Jessica Nieves, 33, of Randolph, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal impersonation and two counts of computer theft, admitting she shifted funds from customers’ accounts to her own at the Wachovia branch she managed for three years, authorities said. The thefts occurred between January and July 2007.
Neither the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office nor defense attorney James Porfido knew what she intended to use the money for. Nieves must pay it back as part of her plea deal, which calls for a seven-year sentence.
Porfido said he will argue for a five-year term when Nieves is sentenced July 11. Porfido said he expects the married mother of two young children will be eligible for the state’s Intensive Supervision Program, which allows for early release from prison. Girl hurt in fall
remains in hospital DENVILLE: A 4-year-old girl who fell 30 feet from a second- story window remains at Morristown Memorial Hospital with a fractured skull and injured pelvis, police said today.
The fall about 5 p.m. Monday remains under investigation. Police suspect the girl may have opened the window herself be fore falling to the patio on the Small Brook Circle property.
The girl’s parents, who had put her to bed at 3 p.m. found her outside about 5:15 p.m., police said.
Police said yesterday the girl’s condition is improving and she is sitting up and talking. Alleged thief leaves
tracks for police RANDOLPH: A North Carolina circus worker took two computers and a safe from three homes, then left police a big clue about how to find him, authorities said yesterday.
Wilburt Little can thank the bicycle tire tracks he left Friday from the Center Grove Village Apartments, where the burglaries took place, to parking lot 3 at the County College of Morris, where the Cole Brothers Circus of the Stars trailer was located, police said. They noted night-vision goggles were used to keep track of the tracks.
Little, 37, of Greenville, N.C., was charged with burglary and theft of movable property and remains in the Morris County Jail in lieu of $30,000, authorities said.
Police received call about the burglaries at 11 p.m. Sgt. Jeffrey Gomez and officers Corey Czer niak, Kevin Clark and Randy Maccione responded to the three scenes. Morris County sheriff’s officers and a K-9 unit dog also responded.
After authorities showed up at the trailer, Little invited them in, handed them the stolen goods and later said he committed the burglaries, police said. Man threatens friend
and cuts himself MORRISTOWN: After a night of partying with beer and cocaine, 22-year-old Jose Vega pulled out a box cutter, threatened to kill a friend and then sliced himself several times while someone called 911, police said yesterday.
Officer Christopher Oakley arrived at 5:23 a.m. yesterday to sort out the situation on Morris Street and call for medical help for Vega before charging him with cocaine possession, aggravated assault and possession of a weapon. He remains in the Morris County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Andreas Garcia-Vargas, 25, and Sergio Camarillo, 22, both of Morristown, were charged with cocaine possession and remain in jail in lieu of $2,500 bail, authorities said. Teacher in sex case
gets pretrial program SUSSEX COUNTY: A Sussex County Technical School teacher charged with putting his face on a student’s breasts was enrolled yesterday in pretrial intervention for a year, but he will have to resign his teaching job.
Paul Stanziale, 51, of Sparta, was entered into a 12-month term of PTI, a program for certain, nonviolent first-time offenders that, upon successful completion, results in charges dismissed and a clean record.
Conditions of his PTI acceptance include having to undergo a psychosexual evaluation, having no contact with the victim, performing 50 hours of community service and resigning his $86,000-a-year job at the school on Route 94 in Sparta.
Stanziale was charged in January with fourth-degree criminal sexual contact after placing his face on the breasts of a 17-year-old girl who was a student in his class, during school hours and in his supervisory role as a teacher, authorities had said. The incident occurred around October.
A teacher of agricultural operations who began at the school in 1997, Stanziale had been suspended with pay. He earned a $76,266 annual salary, plus $7,475 as boys basketball coach and $2,317 as adviser to the Future Farmers of America club.
The hearing was held in Superior Court in Newton. Driver is charged
after hitting cyclist WASHINGTON TWP.: An 81-year-old motorist was given a ticket for careless driving after his car hit a bicyclist and broke the man’s leg, police said yesterday.
Michael Smith of Long Valley was driving a 2007 Toyota Corolla west on Parker Road at 1 p.m. Saturday, when he turned left onto Flintlock Drive into the path of eastbound bicyclist Christopher Jerry, 43, also of Long Valley, police said.
Jerry suffered an open compound leg fracture and was flown to Morristown Memorial Hospital with serious but nonlife- threatening injuries, police said.