County Prosecutor

October 26 A Sussex County Grand Jury handed up the following indictments: Kenneth Nielson, 26, and Lisa Estrella, 34, of Lake Hopatcong, with one count each of possession of heroin. According to records, both Nielson and Estrella possessed a small amount of heroin in Sparta on May 22, when their vehicle was stopped by Sparta Police Officer John Lamon. Matthew Laurich, 20, of Wantage, with distribution of less than one ounce of marijuana, distribution of less than one ounce of marijuana while on school property and distribution of less than one ounce of marijuana to an individual under the age of 18. Laurich was also indicted for possession with the intent to distribute morphine sulfate, possession with the intent to distribute oxycodone, and two counts of possession with the intent to distribute those substances while on school property. It is alleged that on May 12, 2004, in Sparta, Laurich sold a small amount of marijuana while on the property of Sussex County Technical School and that two days later, he was found to be in possession of pills that he intended to distribute while on the same school property. Douglas Delellis, 24, of Vernon, with possession of cocaine. It is alleged that Delellis possessed a small amount of cocaine following his arrest on April 28, on an outstanding warrant by Vernon Patrolman Kenneth Kuzicki, Jr. John Brown, 45, of Newton, with two counts of distribution of cocaine, two counts of distribution of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school and two counts of distribution of cocaine within 500 feet of a public building. According to records, on Feb. 15 and 18, Brown sold cocaine from an apartment on Spring Street in Newton. Joseph Marion, 34, of Newton, with one count of distribution of heroin and/or cocaine. It is alleged that Marion distributed a small amount of heroin and cocaine in Newton on Feb. 10. Elizabeth Dadas, 36, of Hopatcong, with one count of prescription fraud. It is alleged that on July 8, Dadas attempted to obtain Ativan by altering a prescription. Jeffrey Bendix, 42, of Newton, with one count of possession of cocaine. It is alleged that Bendix possessed a small amount of cocaine on April 24, in Newton. A Grand Jury indictment is a charge only. The defendants are presumed innocent until guilt may be proven at a jury trial. October 27 Matthew Cappello, 30, of Highland Lakes, pleaded guilty to resisting arrest. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 9. According to police, Cappello first attempted to elude patrolman Harry Russo of the Vernon Police and then refused to exit a residence the next day when the police came to arrest him. Daniel Shaw, 42, of Stockholm, pleaded guilty to theft, and a violation of probation. Sentencing is set for next month. According to police, Shaw was attempting to avoid payment for medical services through the use of a different name. October 28 Daniel Conklin, 21, of Franklin, was sentenced to two years probation, seven month loss of his driver’s license and $2,692 in fines. Conklin pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2005 to two counts of possession of heroin, and motor vehicle tickets for driving while intoxicated and possessing an expired driver’s license On May 28, Conklin was stopped in Franklin by Patrolman Jeffrey Snyder and was found to be in possession of three bags of heroin and being under the influence of heroin at the time he was driving the car. On July 1, Conklin was found to be in possession of one bag of heroin by Hardyston Patrolman Chris Bonfiglio, who had pulled the defendant over for a motor vehicle violation. Conklin driver’s license had expired the day before. Amy DeLuise, 27, of Hamburg, was sentenced to three years probation with 125 days credit for time served, attend and complete inpatient treatment and aftercare follow up. In addition, she was sentenced to a six-month loss of her driver’s license and $3,623 in fines. DeLuise pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, to two counts of possession of heroin, one count of hindering the apprehension of another, one count of defiant trespass, one count of contempt of a domestic violence order, two counts of burglary, one count of theft, one count of attempting to defraud a drug test, one count of aggravated assault, along with a motor vehicle ticket of failure to signal. On June 28, 2004, DeLuise was stopped by Patrolman. Evan Mattessich for failing to signal and was found to be in possession of a bag of heroin. On July 26, 2004, DeLuise assisted two other individuals in leaving the scene of a burglary and theft. On July 28, 2004, DeLuise was found to be in possession of nine bags of heroin in Wantage Township by Vernon detectives investigating the burglary and theft. On Dec. 4, 2004, DeLuise violated a restraining order by returning to the home of her mother. On Sept. 24 and Sept. 28, 2004, DeLuise stole property from a home in Jefferson Township. On April 19, she possessed a container of urine while at the Sussex County Probation Department in order to defraud a drug test that was going to be administered. She subsequently became involved in an assault upon Sheriffs Officer Krista Trumper, biting the officer’s finger. October 31 Kathleen Merklinger, 49, of Wantage, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and driving while intoxicated. She is to be sentenced in December. Merklinger admitted to consuming several beers before she was found sleeping in her car by New Jersey State Trooper Diehl on Aug. 21, in Wantage. She was also found to be in possession of two bags containing trace amounts of cocaine. Jamie Zaretskie, 24, of Wharton, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin, driving while suspended and leaving the scene of an accident. She is scheduled for sentencing on December 9. On July 29, Zaretskie was driving in Vernon Township when she struck a speed limit sign and kept going. Police eventually located and stopped Zaretskie. When she was arrested, she was found to be in possession of two bags of heroin and one empty bag of heroin. November 1 Camila F. Diaz, 20, of Vernon, pleaded guilty to shoplifting. She was sentenced to one year probation and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $600. In addition, she must pay fines and penalties totaling $125. Diaz was arrested on Sept. 1, 2005 in Franklin and charged with shoplifting 20 DVDs from the Franklin Shop-Rite. Joel A. Trujillo, 22, of Hendersonville, NC, pleaded guilty to providing false information to law enforcement. He was ordered to pay fines and penalties totaling $375. Trujillo was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over in Byram on Aug. 10. He provided a resident alien card to police as identification, which the officer determined to be fake. William Matthews, 37, of Lafayette, was sentenced to four years in New Jersey State prison, loss of his license for 10 years, and $313 in fines and penalties. Matthews pleaded guilty on June 27, to eluding police. According to court records, on Dec. 24, 2004, in Byram Township, Matthews was pursued at a high rate of speed by Byram police officers. The pursuit ended with the defendant running off the road, flipping his vehicle and landing in a swamp off Route 206. Michael J. Frey, 27 of Matamoras, Penn., was sentenced to two years probation which is transferred to Florida, $1,500 in fines and a six-month loss of his license. Frey pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, to receiving stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia. According to records, when Frey was stopped by the Sparta Police for a motor vehicle violation, he had no driver’s license on him. The vehicle had been reported stolen and there were three outstanding traffic warrants for his arrest. At the time of the traffic stop, Frey was in possession of a hypodermic syringe along with drug paraphernalia. Phyllis A. Vigliotti-Stoll, 36 of Newton, was sentenced to two years probation, 30 days community service, $405 in fines and $2,855.14 in restitution. Vigliotti-Stol pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, to hindering apprehension, impersonation and forgery. Vigliotti-Stol admitted to taking checks from a room she was cleaning, forging the check owner’s signature on two of them and depositing the money into her own account. She then sent an e-mail to the Sussex County Probation Department regarding these deposits claiming to be an employee of the bank. She also sent a letter to Sussex County Superior Court implicating someone else in crimes. Donald Antcliff, 27 of Sussex, was sentenced to two years probation, and pay $280 in fines and penalties, Antcliff pleaded guilty on June 6, to two counts of theft. According to court records, Antcliff stole power tools from his employer on April 30, 2004 in Wantage Township. He also stole jewelry, a gun and coins from his roommate on Feb. 3, also in Wantage Township. Shawn Adamson, 32 of Paterson, was sentenced to two years probation, 120 days in the county jail, maintain child support and $155 in fines and penalties. Adamson pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, to eluding police. According to court records, Adamson was driving his motorcycle erratically on Route 23 in Hardyston, and would not pull over when signaled by a police officer. He was captured whe he ran out of gas. November 2 Donna M. Miller, 40, of Newton, pleaded guilty to criminal simulation, a fourth degree crime. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 9. Miller was pulled over in Newton on July 11, for a motor vehicle violation and the officer noticed that her insurance card appeared altered. When confronted, she admitted she altered the card, further stating she made the insurance card herself. Because Miller was currently serving a probationary term for a theft offense committed in Hampton Township between Nov. 1, 2002 and Sept. 9, 2003, the arrest for this offense resulted in a violation of that probation, for which she also entered a guilty plea to. Jeffrey G. Bissonnette, 34, of Stroudsburg, Penn., pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, possession of cocaine, and to motor vehicle violations of driving while intoxicated, and failing to maintain lamps. Sentencing is set for next month. According to records, on Aug. 12, 2004 in Byram, Bissonnette assaulted a patron in a bar after being asked by the patron if he could buy the defendant and his girlfriend a drink. On Oct. 16, 2004 in Hopatcong, his vehicle was stopped for having a light out. At the time of the traffic stop, Bissonnette appeared to be intoxicated and was placed under arrest. A search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of a cigarette pack containing a small amount of cocaine. George J. Meyer, 52, of Blackwood, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft by deception and two counts of disorderly persons theft by deception. Sentencing will take place in December. According to police, in early August of 2004, Meyer issued several fake checks to various organizations in Lafayette and Branchville. John F. Mize, 41, of Highland Lakes, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. Sentencing is to take place next month. According to records, on Nov. 22, 2004, Mize struggled with Vernon police officers when they attempted to arrest him for driving while intoxicated. One of the officers broke a finger on his right hand during the struggle.