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Arrested: Joseph C. Baesler, age 33, of Sussex Boro, NJ and Melody Neale, age 26, of Milford, PA. < Back Couple arrested for outstanding warrants at probation department Arrested: Joseph C. Baesler, age 33, of Sussex Boro, NJ and Melody Neale, age 26, of Milford, PA. Previous Next On Tuesday, October 4, 2011, while assigned to the Sussex County Probation Department, Sheriff’s Officer Ed Galinski encountered Joseph Baesler. Knowing him to be the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant from Wantage Township Municipal Court, Sheriff’s Officer Galinski immediately took him into custody. While Sheriff’s Officer Galinski was interviewing Baesler, Sheriff’s Sergeant Krista Galante was speaking with Baesler’s girlfriend, Melody Neale. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Neale was also the subject of multiple arrest warrants from Wantage Township Municipal Court. Neale was subsequently taken into custody as well. Joesph Baesler is currently lodged in the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility in lieu of $4,250 bail with no 10% option. Melody Neale was lodged in the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility in lieu of $500 bail.

Process Services Announcement : The Sussex County Sheriff’s Civil Process Business Office is located at 39 High Street, Newton, NJ in front of the main court house with business hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays. Appointments can be scheduled by e-mail or by phone at 973.579.0850. All fees must be paid by check or money order made payable to “Sussex County Sheriff.” CASH WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Any court related business must be directed to 862.397.5700. The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the processing and service of all Civil documents that originate from the Court system. These include Summons and Complaints, Writs of Execution, Garnishments and Foreclosures. A Sheriff’s Officer will make up to three attempts to execute the document(s), unless otherwise instructed, at which time the item will be returned to the requestor. Additional mileage will be charged regardless of the success of the service. If you need further information or assistance, please contact us at 973.579.0850. Civil Process Fees Mileage Fees Mileage fees are based on mileage from the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office in Newton to the address of service. A mileage fee for at least three attempts is required at the time of request.

Civil Process About Sheriff’s Sales The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the preparation and auctioning of real property. A foreclosure is a sheriff’s sale of real property. Foreclosure Listings While every effort is made to ensure that these foreclosure listings are accurate and timely, the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office does not warrant or guarantee the reliability of same. Process Services Our Civil Process Unit deploys sheriff’s officers throughout the county to handle many types of civil process.

About Administration Under the leadership of Sheriff Michael Strada, the sheriff’s office provides numerous services to the citizens and local police agencies of Sussex County. Professional Standards It is the policy of the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office to accept and investigate all complaints of alleged officer misconduct or wrongdoing from any citizen or agency employee. Bureau of Corrections The Bureau of Corrections is responsible for the custody and care of incarcerated persons. Bureau of Law Enforcement The Bureau of Law Enforcement represents the enforcement arm of the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office. Its personnel are tasked with carrying out the statutory responsibilities of the sheriff as mandated by the state constitution. Communications Center The Sussex County Sheriff’s Communications Center provides regular dispatch services for the sheriff’s office and serves as a PSAP for enhanced 911 calls. Emergency Management The Division of Emergency Management coordinates the efforts of police, fire, EMS, public works, public health and a myriad of volunteer organizations during emergencies. Fire Marshal The fire marshal supports and facilitates the safety of the general public through fire safety education, supporting fire safety legislation and fire prevention education programs to minimize the loss of property and life. Employment The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office hires employees based on the results of an open competitive law enforcement entry level examination given by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. Sheriff’s Office History The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office came into existence in 1753 and for well over 200 years now, has steadfastly remained committed to serving the residents of Sussex County. .

Sheriff Strada runs down a list of resources available to provide assistance. < Back Resources for homeowners facing foreclosure Sheriff Strada runs down a list of resources available to provide assistance. Previous Next If you are a homeowner experiencing difficulty making your mortgage payments or you are already facing foreclosure, you are not alone. Help is available but you can’t procrastinate or hope the problem will just go away. The further behind you get, the fewer options you may have to save your home or avoid foreclosure. The links which follow can provide assistance to homeowners in distress. New Jersey’s Emergency Rescue Mortgage Assistance (ERMA) Program The Emergency Rescue Mortgage Assistance program (ERMA) was developed by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) to deploy federally allocated HAF funds to assist eligible NJ homeowners who have been financially affected by COVID-19. The program will help homeowners bring their mortgages and other housing related expenses current. New Jersey Judiciary Foreclosure Mediation Program This program, launched in 2009, gives eligible homeowners access to housing counselors, lawyers and mediators who may help homeowners in foreclosure remain in their homes. It is a partnership of the judiciary, the Office of the Attorney General, the Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency, Legal Services of New Jersey, the Office of the Public Advocate and the Department of Banking and Insurance. Call toll-free: 1.888.989.5277. Making Home Affordable This program is a component of the Obama administration’s strategy to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, stabilize the country’s housing market, and improve the nation’s economy. The primary goal is to give homeowners struggling to maintain their home mortgage payments the opportunity to refinance or obtain a loan modification. NJ HomeSaver Program This program provides financial assistance to New Jersey homeowners who have a track record of making their mortgage payments on time but are now at risk of losing their homes to foreclosure as a direct result of unemployment or substantial underemployment. Additional Resources: Loan Scam Alert—What You Should Know Loan Modification Scam Alert Campaign Consumer Alert: Home Mortgage Foreclosures/Subprime Lending Legal Services of New Jersey: Anti-Predatory Lending Project Ten Warning Signs of Abusive/Predatory Lending For Tenants: NJ’s Public Advocate: The Rights of Tenants During Foreclosure

Arrested: Salvatore A. Romano Jr., age 49, of Swartzwood, NJ. < Back Suspended driver arrested for possession of CDS Arrested: Salvatore A. Romano Jr., age 49, of Swartzwood, NJ. Previous Next On Saturday, December 17, 2011, while conducting DWI enforcement in Fredon Township, Sheriff’s Sergeant John Gray initiated a motor vehicle stop on a car being driven by Salvatore Romano. Further investigation by Sergeant Gray revealed Romano to be in possession of a quantity of cocaine, a digital scale and other drug paraphernalia. Romano was taken into custody and transported to the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office where he was processed and charged with the following offenses: possession of a controlled dangerous substance, a crime of the third degree and possession of drug paraphernalia, a disorderly persons offense. Additionally, Romano was issued summonses for driving while suspended, possession of CDS in a motor vehicle and maintenance of lamps. He was given a future court date and released. Sheriff’s Officer Kieran McMorrow from the K-9 Unit assisted in the investigation.

< Back Thank You First Responders Previous Next On behalf of the Sussex County Sheriff's Office and Office of Emergency Management, I would like to thank all of the First Responders who responded and assisted at the plane crash in Hampton Township. Starting with the New Jersey State Police, who with the assistance of their aviation unit, located the plane wreckage in a remote wooded area in Hampton Township. What followed was a large response from multiple agencies. These agencies included but were not limited to the New Jersey State Police, New Jersey State Police Office of Emergency Management, Sussex County Sheriff Office of Emergency Management, Sussex County Fire Marshal Office, Sussex County Haz-Mat team, Hampton Township Fire Department, Stillwater Township Fire Department , Fredon Township Fire Department, Lafayette Fire Department, Ogdensburg Fire Department, Highland Lakes Fire Department, Frankford Fire Department and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. I would also like to recognize and thank the Sussex County Communications Center for ensuring that all the resources that we needed were dispatched to the accident site. Since the wreckage and the victims were located in a remote densely wooded area it made the recovery extremely difficult and challenging. Working in collaboration, the agencies were able to recover the victims and assist the NTSB with the recovery and removal of the aircraft from the woods. The First Responders, almost all of who are volunteers, spent close to 2 days assisting at the accident site. Although we all wish the outcome was better, these volunteers worked tirelessly to recover the victims and the aircraft. As the County Emergency Management Coordinator, it is comforting to know that the volunteers in Sussex County are ready and willing to respond to any emergency that we may face. I thank all of you for your assistance at the crash site and your continued hard work and dedication to your communities. Sincerely, Sheriff Michael Strada Sussex County Emergency Management Coordinator

Arrested: Russell Decker, age 29, of Sussex Borough, NJ. < Back Fugitive jumps out window to evade arrest, captured anyway Arrested: Russell Decker, age 29, of Sussex Borough, NJ. Previous Next On Wednesday, December 5, 2012, sheriff’s detectives Matt Caine and William Lunger located Russell Decker at his residence in Sussex Borough. Upon hearing detectives Caine and Lunger identify themselves, and correctly surmising there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest, Decker jumped out of a second floor window and ran away from the residence to escape capture. Detectives Caine and Lunger, along with multiple other sheriff’s officers, several New Jersey State Police troopers, and a sheriff’s K-9 unit were deployed to the area but were unable to locate Decker. An additional warrant was subsequently issued for Russell Decker charging him with resisting arrest by flight and obstruction of the administration of law. Five days later, on Monday, December 10, 2012, detectives Caine and Lunger again located Russell Decker at his residence in Sussex Borough. Decker again attempted to evade capture, this time by hiding underneath his bed. Decker was located under the bed and taken into custody. Further investigation revealed a small quantity of marijuana on his person. Decker was issued summonses for resisting arrest and possession of under 50 grams of marijuana and given a future court date to appear in Wantage Municipal Court. Decker was transported to the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility where he remains lodged in lieu of $10,000 bail with no 10% option.

View a list of OEM coordinators for all Sussex County towns. < Back Hurricane Sandy and municipal OEM coordinators View a list of OEM coordinators for all Sussex County towns. Previous Next In anticipation of the upcoming storm, the Sussex County Sheriff’s Division of Emergency Management has made available a list of local OEM coordinators for each municipality in the county. For life hazard emergencies, call 9-1-1. For loss of electricity, call your power provider. For all other storm-related inquiries, call you local municipal emergency management coordinator. View list of municipal emergency coordinators »

Arrested: Emmet Emery Norman, Jr., age 49, of Newton, NJ. < Back Newton man arrested for bringing marijuana with him to court Arrested: Emmet Emery Norman, Jr., age 49, of Newton, NJ. Previous Next On Thursday, February 27, 2014, while assigned to the front door security post at the Sussex County Superior Courthouse, Sheriff’s Officer Warren Slahor encountered Emmit Emery Norman. Mr. Norman placed several items from his pockets on top of a table at the security post. Included in those items was a cigarette package containing a small amount of marijuana. As a result, Officer Slahor placed Norman under arrest and escorted him to the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office for processing. Emmit Emery Norman, Jr. was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (marijuana) in an amount of less than 1/2 ounce. He was issued a summons for that charge, given a future court date to appear in Newton Municipal Court, and subsequently released.

Four members of the sheriff’s office were recently recognized for their service. < Back Sheriff Strada presents awards to officers Four members of the sheriff’s office were recently recognized for their service. Previous Next Sheriff Michael F. Strada recently recognized and awarded several members of the Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Corrections with honors for their respective service. Corrections Officer William Martin was presented with the Sheriff’s Meritorious Service Award for his actions in rendering medical aid to the victims of a motor vehicle accident he witnessed while off duty. The Sheriff’s Meritorious Service Award is awarded to officers who have performed a highly unusual accomplishment under adverse conditions with some degree of hazard to life and limb. On January 8, 2013, Officer Martin’s father, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) William Martin, Sr. who was a member of the Stillwater Emergency Rescue Squad, was operating an ambulance in Stillwater Township, transporting a severely burned patient to a medical evacuation area to be airlifted. While driving, Mr. Martin suffered a sudden and massive heart attack. Realizing he was having some sort of coronary incident, EMT Martin quickly told the paramedics in the rear of the vehicle to “hold on” and attempted to pull off the road. He was unable to maintain control of the vehicle, however, and subsequently crashed into a pole resulting in downed electrical wires hanging over the ambulance. Officer Martin, who was coincidentally nearby at the time of the accident, heard the sound of the collision and ran to the crash site to render aid, unaware that one of the victims was his father. Upon arrival, he assessed the scene and, disregarding his personal safety, entered the ambulance to determine the level of injury of those inside. It was at that point that Officer Martin realized who the driver was. Upon verifying that the paramedics in the rear of the vehicle were not seriously injured, Officer Martin assisted in removing his father from the wrecked vehicle. After checking his pulse and determining him to be unresponsive, Officer Martin then performed CPR on EMT Martin in the roadway until he was relieved. EMT Martin was transported to Newton Medical Center with CPR in progress. Unfortunately, despite Officer Martin’s valiant efforts, EMT Martin did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Officer William Martin has served in the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Corrections since January 2013. Corrections Officer Jeremy Locke was presented with the Sheriff’s Meritorious Service Award for his actions in restraining a resistant and extremely violent inmate. On June 23, 2013 Officer Locke was escorting an unruly prisoner back to his cell. Upon arriving at the cell, the inmate refused to enter and struck Officer Locke near his right eye also causing injury to his nose. Officer Locke was knocked down and his vision momentarily impaired. Officer Locke sustained several facial fractures, severe bleeding from his nose, and serious damage to the bones surrounding his eye. Despite these injuries, Officer Locke immediately got back up and assisted another officer in restraining the inmate before he could cause additional harm to others. Officer Jeremy Locke has served in the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Corrections since February 2008. Sergeant James Milnor , Corrections Officer Kyle Keller and Corrections Officer William Martin were each presented with the Sheriff’s Honorable Service Award for their actions in thwarting an inmate from attempting suicide. The Sheriff’s Honorable Service Award is awarded to a member of the Sheriff’s Office who performs a creditable act in the line of duty which meets some, but not all the requirements for other medals, unusual in nature, showing initiative and accomplishment. On May 4, 2013, Corrections Officer Keller responded to a request for assistance for an inmate attempting suicide. Upon arrival, Officer Keller observed one of the inmates attempting to hang himself with a noose fashioned from a bedsheet. Officer Keller entered the inmate’s cell and immediately lifted him up off the ground to release the tension and prevent further strangulation. Shortly thereafter, Officer Martin arrived and assisted Keller in lifting the inmate while Sergeant Milnor cut the noose. The inmate was then medically evaluated, placed on a suicide watch and transferred to another area of the facility. The actions of Sergeant Milnor, Officer Keller and Officer Martin unquestionably prevented the inmate from successfully taking his own life. Sergeant James Milnor has served in the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Corrections since May 2003. Officer Kyle Keller has served in the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Corrections since May 2010. Sheriff Strada congratulates each of these officers, thanks them for their service, and wishes them continued success in their careers.

The Office of Emergency Management has put out an advisory regarding the impending winter storm. < Back About the impending winter storm from OEM The Office of Emergency Management has put out an advisory regarding the impending winter storm. Previous Next The Sussex County Office of Emergency Management has been monitoring the approaching storm. We have been in continual communications with the our partners at the National Weather Service in Mt. Holly, NJOEM, JCP&L, Sussex Rural Electric and our twenty-four municipal offices of emergency management. We will continue these communications in an effort to promote situational awareness and provide guidance for countywide planning efforts. A winter storm warning is in effect from 1 PM today until 1 PM on Friday for most of New Jersey and 1 PM today until 1 PM Friday for northernmost New Jersey. Snow accumulation will range from 6 to 10 inches. Impacts Travel will become hazardous late Thursday as snow increases. This will be an increasingly fluffy snow and as winds increase Thursday night, blowing and drifting snow will make travel even more hazardous. Road plowing operations will be greatly affected, especially due to blowing and drifting snow and also snowfall rates near an inch per hour at times during the height of the storm Thursday night. Temperatures 20s to lower 30s Thursday, then dropping into the teens and single digits Thursday night into Friday. Wind Chills The combination of very cold temperatures and gusty winds later Thursday night will create dangerous wind chills ranging from 5 below to 20 below zero. The higher elevations should have the most dangerous wind chills. Humans and animals exposed to these extreme temeratures for any length of time will be in grave danger therefore, outdoor exposure should be minimized if possible. Frozen pipes in unprotected areas and concrete and asphalt pavement cracking can also be expected. Precautionary/Preparedness Actions A winter storm warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected. Heavy snow, blowing snow and dangerously cold wind chills are forecast. Travel will become dangerous. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Due caution should be exercised while traveling on roadways effected by snow accumulation. We will continue to provide updates on our Facebook page