Hard Boiled News

True Crime and News of the Weird from around the Globe

Plane Passengers Stopped With 13 Lbs of Cocaine in Their Neck Pillows

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NEWARK, New Jersey — It certainly wouldn’t have helped anyone sleep.

Two airline passengers were busted flying into Newark International Airport carrying 13 pounds of cocaine sewn into the neck pillows they had brought with them, federal authorities said.

Rafael Francisco Bautista Perdomo and Brenda Alyssa Mancebo, both 20, were stopped on Wednesday after landing on a flight from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic

A routine baggage screening revealed that the neck pillows they had brought as carry-on were stuffed with about 6.5 pounds of cocaine each.

Perdomo admitted he had been $10,000 to take the drugs into the United States. He initially told federal agents that he didn’t know Mancebo, but a search of her phone turned up a number of “selfies” taken by Perdomo and photos of them together.

There were also WhatsApp messages between them the day before the flight in which Perdomo allegedly wrote, “If you are afraid, don’t do it,” and “leave it alone, get rid of it.”

Both were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and face at least 10 years in prison. They were both held without bail.

Giant Powerball Winner Charged in Child Sex Assault Case

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Pedro Quezada won $338 million in the Powerball in 2013

PASSAIC, New Jersey — A former bodega owner who hit it big with one of the largest Powerball jackpots in history has been charged with sexually assaulting a child over a three year period, authorities said.

Pedro Quezada, 49, who won $338 million in 2013 is accused of assaulting the female victim when she was between the ages of 11 and 14, Passaic County prosecutors said. They said it did not appear that there were other victims. It was not made public Quezada’s relation to the victim.

When Quezada scored his big win, he was naturally overwhelmed, but said he intended to help people.

” I felt pure joy and happiness because I can help my family,” he sai when he officially claimed the prize at New Jersey lottery headquarters. “My life will change because of it — so much money –but it will not change my heart.”

Lottery officials said Quezada opted for  a $211 million lump-sum payout that dropped to $152 million after taxes were taken out.

Similar to some other big lotto winners, Quezada’s life took some rocky turns after he took home the big jackpot.

Eight months after winning, his girlfriend of 10 years and the mother of one of his five kids,sued saying he wasn’t sharing the winnings with her. Neighbors also accused him of reneging on a deal to pay their rent for a month. His former landlord also said Quezada never paid him more the $7,000 he owed in back rent.

If convicted, Quezada faces up to 40 years in prison.

N.J. Woman Walking Dog Narrowly Escapes Terrifying Coyote Standoff

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SADDLE RIVER, New Jersey — Cops are on the hunt for a pack of wild-eyed, killer coyotes that surrounded a woman and nearly tore apart her dog in a sinister suburban standoff.

Police in Saddle River, New Jersey have warned residents to let small children and pets outside alone following Thursday’s terrifying episode.

Cops say the woman had been walking her dog down a suburban street when a pack of about five snarling coyotes began circling around them. They eventually came within six feet of the woman and her pooch.

They only gave up their pursuit when a passing motorist began honking his horn, scaring the beasts away.

Animal control officials have suggested residents consider carrying a compressed air horn or a walking stick to fend off any similar encounters.

Security Guard Charged With Stealing $100K on First Day on Job

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Larry Brooks

FAIRFIELD, New Jersey — This guy didn’t waste any time.

A New Jersey armored car guard has been charged with walking off with $100,000 in cash on his first day on the job.

Police in Fairfield, New Jersey say they got a call on Wednesday from the private security firm, Garda, saying that a new employee, Larry Brooks, 19, had been caught on camera pocketing a giant pile of cash.

The case against Brooks appeared pretty open and shut when security officers from the firm went to his house in Elizabeth and found $85,900 in cash stashed in his car. It’s not clear what happened to the rest of the money.

Brooks was charged with second degree theft and was released on his own recognizance.

Man Charged With Killing Gal Pal Whose Body Parts Washed Up in NYC

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Jenny Londono was last seen on June 25

HACKENSACK, New Jersey — A 40-year-old New Jersey man has been charged with murdering his stunning nightclub manager girlfriend and chopping her body into pieces that he dumped in the Hudson River.

Bergen County prosecutors say Raphael Lolos, of Bergenfield, New Jersey, was arrested Friday in the death of 31-year-old Jenny Londono, parts of whose body had washed up on the shores of New York City on July 27.

Police were able to link the remains to Londono through a distinctive sanskrit tattoo she had on her right hip. A leg that is believed to have been hers was found floating in the Hudson days later.

Investigators found traces of Londono’s blood in Lolos’ bathtub, sources said. Prosecutors say he had been using her credit cards up until the day he was arrested.

After he was detained, authorities say he suffered a “medical episode” and was hospitalized.

Raphael Lolos

Friends say Londono had only recently opened the Luna Lounge in Englewood, New Jersey after working as bartender at a separate club nearby.

Lolos has been charged with murder, desecration of human remains, hindering apprehension, credit card fraud and stalking.

 

Florist Busted Stealing Flowers From Cemetery

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PEQUANNOCK, New Jersey — A sticky-fingered florist has been arrested for repeatedly stealing graveside flowers and plants from a cemetery in New Jersey, cops said.

Lynda Wingate, 59, of Riverdale has been charged with theft of moveable property.

Pequannock Township police say that after receiving numerous complaints about stolen lowers at the First Reformed Church Cemetery in Pompton Plains, they decided to replace some pilfered plants and place surveillance cameras nearby to see what would happen.

Sure enough, cops say that within two days the plants were gone and a review of the surveillance footage revealed a woman driving up in a silver minivan and taking off with the plants.

Unfortunately for Wingate, officers recognized her as a former police dispatcher who now owned a flower shop in town.

Police say Wingate claimed she was just removing old flowers from graves of people she knew, but investigators didn’t buy her story. At the same time, they said there was no evidence that she attempted to re-sell any of the plants she allegedly stole.

American Idol Dope Forgets to Leave Weed at Home for Court Appearance

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Khaleef Chiles appeared on the first season of American Idol in 2003

SOMERSET, New Jersey — Come for the bail jumping, stay for the weed.

A New Jersey man who had been a contestant on the first season of “American Idol” found himself in hot water this week when he came to court to surrender on charges of jumping bail and court officers found a bag of weed in his pocket.

Khaleef Chiles, 34, of Plainfield, arrived at Somerset County court on Thursday to face charges for failing to appear for an earlier court date. When he was searched before being placed in a holding cell, officers found the drugs, NJ.com reported.

Chiles was charged with third-degree drug possession in addition to the bail jumping charge and Judge Robert Reed ordered him to return to court on Friday to enter his pleas.

“When you come back tomorrow, make sure your pockets contain no weed,” the judge said. “I’m just saying.”

Chiles appeared on American Idol back in 2003, landing a spot on the show with a rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour,” but was voted off early in the season. He later co-authored a song for R&B singer Christina Milian, called “Whatever U Want.”

On Friday, prosecutors agreed to drop the drug charge in return for a guilty plea in the bail jumping case for which Chiles will be sentenced to probation and court-ordered drug counseling.

Chiles has a history of poor attendance in court.

He was initially arrested in March 2016 on charges of  LSD and marijuana possession. On June 24, he failed to appear in court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He turned himself in to authorities in December but failed to show up in court again on April 3

New Jersey Sicko Sets Record for Largest Child Porn Stash

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This creep had the biggest child porn stash NJ prosecutors ever saw

This creep had the biggest child porn stash NJ prosecutors ever saw

TRENTON, New Jersey — Prosecutors say 36-year-old Charles Diggs, of Roselle, N.J. had 325,000 files depicting child pornography including 14,000 videos showing the rape of very young children.

“Diggs allegedly had the most child pornography ever found in a state investigation – more than four times the prior record,” said Attorney General Christopher Porrino. “It’s heartbreaking to think of the many thousands of children who were raped and robbed of their innocence to create the images and videos he allegedly possessed.”

Authorities became aware of Diggs after getting a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about a Twitter account that was allegedly uploading child pornography onto the web. An investigation led police to Diggs who was arrested Sept. 3.

A search of his computers revealed the scope of his sickening collection.

A grand jury indicted Diggs on Friday on charges of with second-degree distribution of child pornography and third-degree possession of more than 100 files of child pornography. Diggs faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

 

 

MS-13 Gang Members Charged With Plotting to Kill Informant in New Jersey

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Members of the gang MS-13

Members of the gang MS-13

UNION CITY, New Jersey — Two high-ranking members of the vicious gang MS-13 were charged with conspiring to kill a fellow gang member they believed was an informant.

Federal investigators say Juan Pablo “Humilde” Escalante-Melgar, 27, and Elmer “Locote” Cruz-Diaz, 28, both of Union City, NJ, had received approval from their superiors in El Salvador to carry out the hit against the man they believed was cooperating with law enforcement.

“MS-13’s rules strictly prohibit cooperating with law enforcement, and it is well understood within the gang that police informants will be punished by death,” the U.S. Attorney’s office in Newark said in a statement.

Escalante-Melgar is the leader of the Pinos Locos Salvatrucha clique of the gang and Cruz-Diaz heads the Hudson Locotes Salvatrucha  clique, prosecutors said.

Investigators zeroed in on the plot in early August when they heard the two  men discussing with other MS-13 members on the phone the need to kill the intended victim as well as three other people. Within days, the gang had received approval from leaders in El Salvador to carry out the hits.

The two men assigned a gang member to tail the victim and take note of his movements to determine the best time and place to kill him.

But on Sept. 3, Esclante-Melgar and  Cruz-Diaz were taken into custody on immigration charges. They were later hit with federal charges of conspiring to kill a person to prevent them from talking to police and have been held without bail.