PAGE 16 — THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011 LOCALSOURCE.COM UNION COUNTY LOCALSOURCE

Bergen man pleads guilty todefrauding UC golf course

Attorney General Paula T. Dowand Division of Criminal JusticeDirector Stephen J. Taylorannounced that a Bergen Countyman was sentenced to state prisontoday for stealing more than $8,000in property and services from aUnion County golf club.

According to Acting InsuranceFraud Prosecutor Ronald Chillemi,John Getchius, 62, whose lastknown address was in Garfield,was sentenced by Superior CourtJudge Scott J. Moynihan in UnionCounty to three years in stateprison and ordered to pay $8,984 inrestitution.

The sentence will run concur-rent to the eight-year prison sen-tence Getchius is currently servingas a result of pleading guilty toother charges brought by the Officeof the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.

Today's sentence was based onGetchius' March 14 guilty plea tothird-degree theft by deception.The charge was contained in aUnion County grand jury indict-

ment returned on May 7, 2010.In pleading guilty to the charge

for which he was sentenced,Getchius admitted that betweenMay 5 and Aug. 31, 2009, he fraud-ulently obtained property and serv-ices from Suburban Golf Club,located in Union, according to theAttorney General's Office.Getchius created the false impres-sion that he would make paymentsin the amount of $8,984. In order todeceive the golf club of his inten-tions, Getchius wrote three badchecks to Suburban Golf Club,knowing that the banks would nothonor the checks, officials said.

Getchius is currently serving aneight-year prison sentence afterpleading guilty on June 11, 2009 totwo counts of second-degree insur-ance fraud and two counts of third-degree insurance fraud. Thecharges were contained in a 2008Bergen County grand jury indict-ment. According to the plea agree-ment, Getchius was also ordered topay $25,600 in restitution and a

$50,000 civil fine.Detective Earl Washington and

Deputy Attorney General DennisKwasnik were assigned to theinvestigation. Deputy AttorneyGeneral Kwasnik represented thestate at the sentencing. ActingInsurance Fraud Prosecutor Chille-mi thanked Suburban Golf Club forreferring this matter to the Office ofthe Insurance Fraud Prosecutor andfor its assistance in the investiga-tion.

Acting Insurance Fraud Prose-cutor Chillemi noted that someimportant cases have started withanonymous tips. People who areconcerned about insurance cheatingand have information about a fraudcan report it anonymously by call-ing the toll-free hotline at 1-877-55-FRAUD, or visiting the websiteat www.NJInsuraticeJraud.org,State regulations permit a reward tobe paid to an eligible person whoprovides information that leads toan arrest, prosecution and convic-tion for insurance fraud.

K-9 unit aids in capture ofdefiant trespasser in Hillside

On July 15 at about 5:48 a.m.,Terrel Tutt, 21, of Hillside wasarrested for defiant trespass, andPolice Officer Michael Flowers'K-9 partner "Champion" played abig role in the capture.

According to Hillside Police,they received a call that a man hadentered an abandoned home onWilliamson Avenue. Officers and aK-9 officer responded to investi-gate the complaint. The officersand police dog conducted a searchfor any trespassers. After refusingto come out and ignoring warningsthe police dog, named Champion,then located Tutt hiding behind acouch in the basement and heldhim, leading to the man's arrest byofficers.

Tutt is charged with defiant tres-pass and was released on a sum-mons.

Uncorroborated sources havesuggested that Champion wasgiven a dog treat following the inci-dent, nnd possibly a hardy pat onhis head.

The following incidents werereported to police throughoutUnion County, to which officersresponded.

Roselle Park• July 20: Michael Gedman, 22,

of Roselle Park, was charged withhindering his own apprehension,two counts of filing false policereports, leaving the scene of anaccident and careless driving.

According to police, Gedmanwas behind the wheel of his 1997Volkswagon Golf on July 4 at 2:25

Police Officer MichaelFlowers' and his K-9partner, Champion.

a.m. when his vehicle veered offthe road and struck a legally parkedcar on Lehigh Avenue. The parkedvehicle was pushed onto the frontlawn of a residence.

Gedman exited the vehicle, saidpolice, leaving his keys inside andtied the area. He was later contact-ed by police officers through hisfamily members. When Gedmanarrived at the scene a while later, hedenied driving the vehicle, policesay, and told officers that the carhad been stolen, prompting policeofficers to file a report of a stolenvehicle.

The next day, on July 5, Ged-man contacted his insurance carri-er, police say, and told the carrierhis vehicle was stolen.

POLICE BLOTTER

In addition, another male sus-pect was charged in relation to theprevious incident.

According to the police depart-ment, Nickolas Genovese, 20, ofRoselle Park, was charged withhindering the apprehension ofanother. Police say Genovese gavefalse statement to detectives'whenhe was questions regarding thewhereabouts of Michael Gedman,the registered owner of a vehicleinvolved in leaving the scene of anaccident and a false stolen carreport.

• July 20: A burglary took placeon Westfield Avenue, according tothe Roselle Park Police Depart-ment.

Police say they responded to aconvenience store on a report of afront-door motion sensor activated.Upon arrival, officers found thatthe rear door located on theWilliams Street side of the propertywas unlocked. After entering,police observed three square tinmetal ceiling tiles had been pushedin, located approximately in thecenter of the store. A candy barstand near the front door was alsodisturbed, its contents strewn aboutthe store.e The building, however,was unoccupied, police said.

Access to the roof appeared tohave been possible, police said,through the opening created in theceiling. A check of the roof wasnegative, according to police.

IN MEMOR1AMANGLfN — Billie, of Rahway; July 20.ARPINO — Maria, of Kenilworth; July 24.BOSS — Rosemary, of Cranford; July 21.BRYANT —Andrew J., of Rahway; July 16.CAPRARA — Peter F., formerly of Mountainside; July 21.COOK — Chloe H., of Roselle; July 12.DRAHOS — Judy A., of Cranford; July 23.FINNERTY —Naomi, of Union; July 18.GOMES — Joseph, of Kenilworth; July 21.IRRIZARRY — Christopher "Chris" J., of Rahway; July 13. <KANZLER — Kenneth Patrick, of Springfield; July 17.KUZSMA— Dora Schroth, of Cranford; July 17.LISOWSK1 —Theresa, of Union; July 19.LUNDELL—Lilian A., of Summit; July 10.MAROTTO — Joseph, of Clark; July 19.MARSELLA —Amelia "Molly," of Cranford; July 21.MENENDEZ — Fernando, of Roselle Park; July 21.M1ELE — Tecla "Terri," formerly of Mountainside and

Hillside; July 19.MILLER — Polly H. Helms, of Linden; July 16.PRYOR — Thomas E., of Rahway; July 16.RAMIREZ — Hugo C , of Summit; July 16.R AVIX — Fritz, of Union; July 21.REDD — Bernard, of Rahway; July 20.SEYLER — Walter, of Union; July 16.TALCOTT— Rev. Elmer, formerly of Mountainside and

Union; July 19.VERNIERO —CamilleT., of Union; July 15.WATTS — Derek R., formerly of Hillside; July 15.W1SL — Theresa, of Union; July 20.

Obituaries are special notices submitted by Funeral Direc-tors or familes to be published on these pages and online. Toplace a paid obituary fax 908-686-4169 or send an email toobits@thelocalsource.com. Obituaries must be received by noonMonday. Family and friends 'submissions must include sender sname, address, phone and the name of the funeral home. Call908-686- 7850 for assistance.

Security camera footage, how-ever, caught the suspect on tape.According to police, a possiblyHispanic male wearing a whiteshirt with blue shorts, white socksand white and black sneakers, witha black skull cap on his headentered the store. Police say he wasalso wearing a black-colored Jans-port backpack. He stuffed numer-ous candy bars into his backpack,police said, and left through therear door.

Police say this is likely the sameindividual, wearing the same cloth-ing, who committed a burglary theprevious night at the same location,but had left empty handed.

Anyone with information orwho is able to identify the suspectis asked to call the Roselle Parkpolice at 908-245-2300.

Summit• July 14: Sean Milton, 36, of

Short Hills was arrested at WaltonAvenue for possession of 50 gramsor less of marijuana.

• July 15: Police responded to areport of burglary and theft from aBroad Street residence sometimebetween 6 a.m. and midnight onJuly 15. Police say $200 in cashwas reported missing.

• July 16: Allan Jeffry Pearson,45, of Summit was arrested atUnion Place for defiant trespassing.

Rahway• July 11: Police reported a theft

at City Hall Plaza.• July 12: Police say that at Jef-

ferson Avenue, a theft occurred at9:09 a.m.

• July 12: Rahway Policereported that a vehicle on WestEmerson Avenue in Rahway wasreported stolen at 9:52 a.m.

• July 13: Officer Andrew Webbresponded to a report of a disputeon Main Street at 2:20 a.m.

• July 14. Police responded to aPierpon Street residence on a reportof a suspicious incident that waslater deemed a burglary and theft.

According to police, someoneentered the residence and possiblytook car keys off the kitchen table.Police say the suspect then left theresidence through the garage, witha motor vehicle that did not belongto him.

Clark• July 11: Police responded to a

burglar alarm activation on ValleyRoad. On arrival, police say it wasdetermined that the alarm had beenset off in error. The premises weresecure. The alarm company wasnotified.

• July 12: Police responded to aburglar alarm activation on Antho-ny Circle. On arrival, police say itwas determined that the alarm hadbeen set off in error. The premiseswere secure. The alarm companywas notified.

• July 14: In the vicinity ofWestfield Avenue, police arrestedJeffrey Soper, 43, of Iselin on anoutstanding warrant from the Mid-dlesex County Sheriff's Depart-ment totaling $18,678.91. He wassubsequently turned over to theMiddlesex County SheriffsDepartment.