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Arrested: Robert J. Slater, age 26, of Ogdensburg, NJ. < Back Man arrested at courthouse after attempting to fake drug test Arrested: Robert J. Slater, age 26, of Ogdensburg, NJ. Previous Next On Monday, March 21, 2011, Robert Slater was arrested by Sheriff’s Officer Johnny Swords after allegedly attempting to defraud the administration of a court ordered drug test. Sheriff’s Officer Swords took Slater into custody and, upon further investigation, discovered an outstanding municipal court warrant against him. Slater was charged with attempting to defraud the administration of a drug test and lodged in the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility on $25,000 bail.

CERT praised for its efforts during the past year’s disasters. < Back Sheriff honors CERT members at holiday gathering CERT praised for its efforts during the past year’s disasters. Previous Next On Saturday, December 17, 2011, Sheriff Michael F. Strada attended the Sussex County CERT Team’s holiday party and presented several members of the team with Certificates of Appreciation and Exceptional Service Awards for their efforts during the past year’s disasters. The purpose of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is to train citizens to be better prepared for disasters. The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office, Division of Emergency Management adopted the program in 2004. That year, 21 citizens were trained in the core components of the program and the Sussex County CERT was established. Presently, the Sussex County CERT program has approximately 200 members with an active core group of 40 members. The team conducts monthly training and holds one full-scale exercise every year. During Hurricane Irene, CERT assisted in shelter operations in which 22 CERT members covered over 445 hours of those operations, several of whom worked in excess of 51 hours. They also deployed during Tropical Storm Lee and the October 29, 2011 snowstorm to assist in shelter operations for the extended power outages. Sheriff Strada, in praising the volunteers for their hard work, said “these members are volunteers who are dedicated to training and preparedness for the citizens of Sussex County.” He asked for their continued support of the CERT program and issued an open invitation to county residents, saying “we are always looking for volunteers and welcome anyone from the county who would like to join our CERT team.” Interested persons should contact Sgt. George Arnot at 973.579.0875, ext. 2300.

SLAP The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office offers the Sheriffs Labor Assistance Program (SLAP) to certain non-violent offenders sentenced to a term supervised by the Sussex Sheriff’s Office. This program has been highly successful and is explained in sections listed below. Sheriff’s Labor Assistance Program (SLAP) The SLAP program is a community-based labor program that provides a structured alternative to incarceration for persons sentenced by Sussex County Courts. Persons sentenced to SLAP are able to pay their dept to society by performing moderate levels of manual labor. This enables them to maintain employment, provide for their families and continue to be productive members of society while satisfying their sentence. Offenders are prudently screened and only those with nonviolent, minor offenses are admitted into the program. Participants are required to follow all rules and regulations or face having their SLAP sentence revoked. At that time, they may be required to serve the remainder of their sentence in jail. SLAP participants provide non-skilled manual labor to nonprofit public and private agencies at no cost. Many organizations within Sussex County use the program regularly. SLAP participants are supervised by armed Officers at all times and are never left at jobs sites without supervision. Work that cannot be done by SLAP participants: SLAP does not work at private companies, personal homes or areas that are deemed unsafe by Sheriff's Office personnel. SLAP participants are not allowed to operate power tools such as chain saws and riding lawnmowers. Participants are not allowed to climb ladders that are over 10 feet off the ground. Participants cannot enter rivers, lakes or other bodies of water. Participants cannot remove poison ivy, oak, sumac, etc. Nonprofit Sussex County agencies seeking to enlist SLAP participants for a specified project must submit all requests in writing on organization letterhead. The request should detail the work that you would like done, where it is located and who the contact person is. Written requests should be sent to the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office at 39 High Street, Newton, NJ 07860. All jobs must be checked prior to starting; a representative from the SLAP program will check the job site prior to beginning a project. You will also be required to fill out a work request form stating the type of services requested, that form will be provided by the Officer who will contact you for final approval. Please note the following: SLAP does not dispose of garbage collected; it is the requesting agency’s responsibility to arrange for pickup. All equipment that is needed for a job has to be provided by the requesting agency (i.e., rakes, shovels, push mowers, garbage bags etc.). For further information about SLAP, contact Corporal James Aumick or Corporal Brian Snyder at 973-579-0875 ext. 2307

Arrested: Alfred E. Bremel, age 18, of Wantage, NJ. < Back Motor vehicle stop in Frankford results in passenger’s arrest for drugs Arrested: Alfred E. Bremel, age 18, of Wantage, NJ. Previous Next On Saturday, December 28, 2013, while assigned to countywide DWI enforcement as part of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” statewide campaign, Sheriff’s Officer Scott Haggerty observed a silver colored Dodge sedan failing to maintain its lane while traveling along Haggerty Road in Frankford Township. Officer Haggerty pulled the vehicle over and approached to speak with the driver. Upon speaking with the driver, Officer Haggerty immediately detected the obvious odor of marijuana from within the vehicle. Further investigation revealed one of the vehicle’s passengers, Alfred E. Bremel, to be in possession of a quantity of marijuana. Additionally, Bremel claimed ownership of a quantity of alcohol which was also in the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was issued a summons for failure to maintain lane and Bremel was arrested, transported to the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office for processing, and subsequently released. Alfred E. Bremel was charged with the following offenses: possession of alcohol under the legal age, possession of marijuana in an amount less than 50 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bremel was given a future court date to appear in Frankford Township Municipal Court. Sheriff’s Officer Warren Slahor assisted in the arrest.

Directions/Map Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility 41 High Street Newton, NJ 07860 From Northern NJ Take Route 80 West to Exit 25 (Route 206 North). Stay on Route 206 North for approximately 11 miles, to Newton. Route 206 North turns into Main Street as you approach downtown Newton. Take Main Street to the end. Turn left at the traffic light onto Spring Street (the square is on the left). From Spring Street, turn left onto High Street. You will see the Sussex County Judicial Center on your right. The jail is located directly behind the center, adjacent to the parking garage. From Trenton and Southern NJ Take the Garden State Parkway to Exit 127 (Route 287 North). From Route 287 North, take Exit 22B (Route 206 North). Proceed with step 2 from the Northern NJ directions above. From Southwest NJ Take the New Jersey Turnpike North to Exit 10 (Route 287 North). From Route 287 North, take Exit 22B (Route 206 North). Proceed with step 2 from the Northern NJ directions above.

The week-long training program, sponsored by the Department of Justice, was held in Aurora, Colorado. < Back Sheriff Strada attends national jail administration program The week-long training program, sponsored by the Department of Justice, was held in Aurora, Colorado. Previous Next Sheriff Michael Strada recently completed a week long training program on jail administration at the National Institute of Corrections in Aurora, Colorado. The training focused on administrative responsibilities including managing risk, policies and procedures, determining staffing needs, managing the workforce, managing inmate behavior, the external role of the jail administrator, and assessing jail operations. One of just twenty participants from throughout the United States selected to attend this nationally recognized program, Sheriff Strada said it was an honor to be chosen. “Whenever you have an opportunity to attend training at this level, it is invaluable. I was able to learn from the best instructors in the nation. The training and networking enables you to look at your jail operations and see if there is anything that you can change to make sure you are running a safe, efficient, and effective operation.” The National Institute of Corrections is a federal agency within the Department of Justice. It was founded in 1977 and serves as a resource for state and local corrections. Training, transportation and living expenses were paid for by the U.S. Department of Justice.

A total of five parcels will be sold at public sale on May 15, 2013 < Back Upcoming foreclosure involving multiple parcels A total of five parcels will be sold at public sale on May 15, 2013 Previous Next Docket #F -000818-12 The Provident Bank vs. Grinnell Holding Co., Inc., et al. Plaintiff Attorney: Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, (732) 636-8000 [This sale was previously scheduled to take place April 17 and then May 1, 2013.] The Sussex County Sheriff will sell at public sale on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. the following described properties which will will be sold separately in the following five parcels: PARCEL 1 Sold to Plaintiff Municipality: Township of Hampton County and State: Sussex, NJ Property Location: 436 Longview Dr., Hampton, NJ Tax Lot and Block Numbers: Lot 18, Block 2902 Dimensions: Approx. .8264 acres PARCEL 2 Sold to Plaintiff Municipality: Township of Sparta County and State: Sussex, NJ Property Location: 734 Houses Corner Rd., Sparta, NJ Tax Lot and Block Numbers: Lot 60, Block 26 Dimensions: Approx. .92 acres PARCEL 3 Sold to Plaintiff Municipality: Township of Sparta County and State: Sussex, NJ Property Location: West Mountain Rd., Sparta, NJ Tax Lot and Block Numbers: Lot 4.08, Block 20 Dimensions: Approx. 25.08 acres Municipality: Township of Sparta County and State: Sussex, NJ Property Location: Davis Rd., Sparta, NJ Tax Lot and Block Numbers: Lot 3, Block 20 Dimensions: Approx. 61.98 acres Municipality: Township of Sparta County and State: Sussex, NJ Property Location: 75 Davis Rd., Sparta, NJ Tax Lot and Block Numbers: Lot 30, Block 20 Dimensions: Approx. 25.4 acres Municipality: Township of Sparta County and State: Sussex, NJ Property Location: West Mountain Rd., Sparta, NJ Tax Lot and Block Numbers: Lot 4.09, Block 20 Dimensions: Approx. 14.5 acres Municipality: Township of Hardyston County and State: Sussex, NJ Property Location: Davis Rd. Rear, Hardyston, NJ Tax Lot and Block Numbers: Lot 16, Block 77 Dimensions: Approx. 3.15 acres PARCEL 4 Sold to 3rd party purchaser–Robert Nicholson–$1,000,000.00 Municipality: Township of Sparta County and State: Sussex, NJ Property Location: 160 Houses Corner Rd., Sparta, NJ Tax Lot and Block Numbers: Lot 13, Block 33 Dimensions: Approx. 54.2 acres Municipality: Township of Sparta County and State: Sussex, NJ Property Location: Houses Corner Rd., Sparta, NJ Tax Lot and Block Numbers: Lot 52, Block 35 Dimensions: Approx. 80.14 acres PARCEL 5 Sold to Plaintiff Municipality: Township of Sparta County and State: Sussex, NJ Property Location: 10 Park Lake Rd., Sparta, NJ Tax Lot and Block Numbers: Lot 5, Block 26.05 Dimensions: Approx. 1.34 acres Full legal descriptions of the properties can be found in the office of the Register of Deeds of Sussex County. The approximate amount of the decree sought to be satisfied by this sale is $3,999,323.27 in addition to the interest, sheriff’s fees and advertising costs. The successful bidder at the sale is required to post a deposit of 20% of the total bid price in cash or certified check immediately following the sale. The sheriff reserves the right to adjourn these sales; the foregoing scheduled date is subject to change. For more information, contact the Civil Process Unit at 973.579.0850.

Four recruits successfully graduated from the Morris County Police Academy. < Back Bureau of Corrections recent academy graduates Four recruits successfully graduated from the Morris County Police Academy. Previous Next On April 13, 2017 the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Corrections had four recruits successfully graduate the Morris County Police Academy. Officer Jake Costello is 26 years old and was hired by the Bureau of Corrections on April 25, 2016. His educational experience includes a diploma from Vernon Township High School in 2008, and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Seton Hall University in 2012. Officer Costello has been in the New Jersey Army National Guard for three years and is currently a sergeant in a cavalry scout unit. He was the class president while in the academy, and also was awarded the Merit Award, Physical Training Award, and Firearms Award. Officer Alyssa Jodexnis is 25 years old and was hired by the Bureau of Corrections on December 14, 2015. She has been a great addition to the department and always conducts herself with pride and professionalism. Officer Alexis Cruz is 26 years old and was hired by the Bureau of Corrections on December 14, 2015. Her educational experience includes a diploma from Vernon Township High School in 2009. She is a great addition to the department and conducts herself with pride and professionalism. Officer Jennifer Demarest is 30 years old and was hired by the Bureau of Corrections on March 4, 2016. Her educational experience includes a diploma from Sussex County Technical School in 2004, and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Felician College in 2013. She is a great addition to the department and conducts herself with pride and professionalism. Sheriff Michael F. Strada congratulates all of the graduates and wishes them the best of luck in their law enforcement careers.

Three corrections officers were recently promoted. < Back Bureau of Corrections promotes three officers Three corrections officers were recently promoted. Previous Next Sheriff Michael F. Strada is pleased to announce the promotions of three officers within the Bureau of Corrections. Corrections Officer James Aumick has been promoted to the rank of corporal. He is a 1998 graduate of Wallkill Valley Regional High School and lifelong resident of Sussex County. A 15-year veteran of the Bureau of Corrections, Corporal Aumick began his law enforcement career in September 2002 when he was hired by the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office as a corrections officer. Corporal Aumick is a graduate of the Passaic County Police Academy Basic County Corrections Officer Training Class of 2003. A dedicated employee to the County of Sussex, Corporal Aumick has been assigned to the Sheriff’s SLAP/SWAP program for the past six years and is very well respected in our communities for his dedicated service to this program. Corporal Aumick has also been used and will continue to be used for many of our emergency operations here at the jail. He will remain assigned to the SLAP/SWAP Program. Corrections Officer Todd Blohm has been promoted to the rank of sergeant. Sergeant Blohm was hired in 2009 and attended Passaic County Police Academy. He is a member of the bureau’s Special Operations Group and actively assists with a variety of specialized tasks. Sergeant Blohm has been awarded the Meritorious Service Award, and was also named Employee of the Month in June of 2016. Sergeant Blohm’s professionalism, work ethic and leadership abilities are an asset to the department and we wish him the best of luck as he embarks on a new phase of his career. Corrections Officer Sean Long has been promoted to the rank of corporal. Corporal Long is a graduate of Port Jervis High School and also a graduate of Sussex County Community College with an associate’s degree in criminal justice. A 15-year veteran of the Bureau of Corrections, Corporal Long began his law enforcement career in September 2002 when he was hired by the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office as a corrections officer. Corporal Long is a graduate of the Passaic County Police Academy Basic County Corrections Officer Training Class of 2004. Corporal Long has received numerous commendations throughout his career including one in 2011 where Corporal Long’s lifesaving skills contributed to an inmate surviving a suicide attempt. Corporal Long’s professional abilities and his attention to detail has resulted over the years in the numerous findings and prevention of contraband in our facility. Pictured from left to right: Corporal James Aumick, Sergeant Todd Blohm, Corporal Sean Long, Sheriff Michael F. Strada.

Arrested: Robert Wilson, age 24, of Stanhope, NJ. < Back Stanhope man arrested in probation department Arrested: Robert Wilson, age 24, of Stanhope, NJ. Previous Next On Thursday, March 21, 2013, while assigned to the Sussex County Probation Department, sheriff’s officers John Freykar and Rob Jacoby were advised by probation staff that an arrest warrant had been issued for Robert Wilson for violation of probation. Additionally, they were advised that Wilson was currently in the office. Officers Freykar and Jacoby located Wilson and, after confirming the existence of the warrant, arrested and transported him to the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility where he was lodged without incident. Robert Wilson is currently lodged in the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility without bail.

The monetary donation was used to purchase equipment for the program. < Back Project Lifesaver receives donation from Division of Senior Services The monetary donation was used to purchase equipment for the program. Previous Next Sheriff Strada recently accepted a donation on behalf of his office from the Sussex County Division of Senior Services. The monetary donation was used to purchase Project Lifesaver equipment, including a mobile locator tracking system. Project Lifesaver is an international program that assists sheriff’s personnel in locating individuals who have wandered away from home due to Alzheimer’s, autism, Down syndrome, dementia and other related cognitive disorders. The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office has offered the Project Lifesaver program to county residents since 2005. Citizens enrolled in Project Lifesaver wear a small personal transmitter around their wrist or ankle that emits an individualized tracking signal. If an enrolled client goes missing, the caregiver notifies the sheriff’s office and a trained emergency team responds to the wanderer’s area to begin searching using a mobile locator tracking system. Most who wander are found within a few miles of their homes and search times for these individuals have been reduced from hours and days to minutes. The average recovery time to locate a Project Lifesaver client is 30 minutes—that’s 95% less time than standard recovery operations. The Sussex County Division of Senior Services is a county department mandated by the federal government as part of the Older Americans Act. It serves as a connection for the elderly to services and programs designed to support seniors’ independence and quality of life. The mission of the division is to enable older individuals and/or their caregivers to choose from a coordinated system of services that allows seniors to live as independently as possible in their homes and in their communities while enjoying a dignified quality of life. Sheriff Strada, expressing his gratitude for the donation, thanked Lorraine Hentz for her agency’s continued commitment to improving the quality of life for our county’s seniors. (L to R) Sgt. Krista Galante, Project Lifesaver Coordinator, Lorraine Hentz, Director of the Sussex County Division of Senior Services, and Sheriff Michael F. Strada display the equipment purchased with the donated funds.

< Back Tip Leads to Arrests in Large-Scale Dog Abandonment Case Previous Next FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sheriff Michael F. Strada March 20, 2026 973-579-0850 Tip Leads to Arrests in Large-Scale Dog Abandonment Case Sheriff Michael Strada and the Sussex County Sheriffs Crimestoppers announce that a critical tip they received has resulted in multiple arrests. Joshua Ciemniecki, 19; Robert Ciemniecki, 74; and Kaila McNeill, 30, all of Phillipsburg, NJ were arrested by the New Jersey State Police following an investigation involving approximately 40 dogs that were dumped and abandoned throughout Sussex County. Thanks to the swift response of Law Enforcement, animal rescue personnel and volunteers many of the dogs were safely recovered however unfortunately some were found deceased. This case marks a perfect example of how even a small tip can result in an arrest or arrests of individuals responsible for such heinous acts. Community involvement played such a crucial role in both protecting these vulnerable animals and bringing these offenders to justice. The Sussex County Sheriffs Crimestoppers extends its sincere gratitude to the anonymous tipster whose information proved to be critical in solving this case. “If not for the information provided through this Crimestoppers tip this case may have gone unsolved, we are incredibly thankful for all of the tips we received in reference to this case” The Sheriff’s Office would like to recognize the dedicated efforts of New jersey State Police Troop B, Detectives and Officers with the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office, volunteers and Animal Control Officers from Newton and Wantage who provided essential support and care for the recovered animals. This incident serves as a reminder that animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Sussex County and those responsible will be held accountable.