New Jersey
NJ man caught with massive cache of illegal guns, knives and explosives thanks to his own shameless Facebook posts
A New Jersey man’s shameless posts on Facebook led police to uncover a massive cache of illegal guns, knives, and explosives stashed inside the suspect’s home on a quiet suburban block this week.
Kyle Arena, 35, of Totowa, NJ, is facing multiple firearms and weapons charges stemming from a home raid Tuesday that yielded rifles, handguns, dozens of knives, ninja stars, brass knuckles, 129 fully loaded illegal high-capacity magazines, thousands of rounds of ammunition and even four explosives, Totowa police said.
An anonymous tipster alerted cops to Arena’s concerning social media posts and alleged arsenal of guns and investigators had to look no further than his Facebook page for probable cause.
Arena made a habit of flashing his guns online and “posting questionable content in various Facebook groups,” according to authorities.
In one post, he pointed a gun at people while driving by in his car. In other posts, he shared pics of illegal items such as silencers, police said.
In another photo, Arena can be seen holding up a rifle to his square black-rimmed glasses, pretending to take aim at an unseen target.
The emailed tip included screengrabs of Arena’s Facebook posts to a group called “Meal Team 6.1 Mid-Tier Main Group,” according to authorities. That private group of gun-enthusiasts boasts 14,500 members.
“Meal Team 6.1 Mid-Tier Main Group” has a number of rules posted to their homepage, including “DO NOT USE FB REPORTING OPTIONS” or face removal. The rule encourages members to eschew Facebook content moderators for fear that any intervention into the private group would result in it being shut down entirely.
With the multitude of evidence from his social posts, Totowa police were granted a search and seize warrant called a “Temporary Extreme Risk Protection Order” by a judge to search through the Lincoln Avenue home where Arena lives with his parents.
Investigators found the huge arsenal of weapons hidden inside a crawl space inside the home and bomb-sniffing dogs discovered four explosive devices, police said.
Nearby residents told ABC7 they couldn’t believe one of their neighbors was hoarding the stockpile of deadly weapons.
“I was in shock,” Ciro Abdondanza told the station. “I never would have expected anything of that magnitude would happen in Totowa.”
“I couldn’t believe it,” Carmine Cifalvi added. “That’s just crazy. What’s he starting his own army or something?”
Officers seized all the items and arrested Arena without incident. He is being held by the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office and faces multiple illegal firearms-related charges. He is due in court on Monday.
The suspect’s 66-year-old father, Felix Arena was also taken into custody during the search. He was charged with disorderly conduct, terroristic threats, and resisting arrest.
New Jersey
New Jersey State Police rescue bear cub on I-78
Elberon Memorial Church features stunning displays of stained glass
130-year-old stained glass windows, regarded as some of the finest in the country, are located at Elberon Memorial Church in Long Branch.
Does a bear get rescued in the woods?
One lucky one in Union Township did.
According to a Facebook post by New Jersey State Police, “On April 1, at approximately 1:37 p.m., troopers from Troop “B” Perryville Station responded to an unusual call on I-78 East at milepost 12.2 in Union Township: a lone bear cub spotted in a roadside ditch.”
The cub was found alone, and needed help. The officers stepped in and likely saved his life
“Upon arrival, troopers found the small cub alone and in need of assistance,” the post read. “He was safely secured, transported back to the barracks, and later released to the Department of Environmental Protection for proper care. Thanks to the swift response of the troopers, the cub is now safe and receiving the attention he needs.”
New Jersey
Man arrested in New Jersey after missing woman’s body discovered in Georgia woods, GBI says
A suspect has been charged with the murder of a missing woman whose body was discovered weeks ago in a stretch of Georgia woods.
Authorities say 35-year-old Gainesville resident Loron Spaulding was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals in New Jersey earlier this week.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, officers had been searching for 30-year-old Diaja Benson since she was reported missing out of Dawson County on Feb. 20.
On the morning of March 13, agents with the GBI, the Cumming Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources found a body of a woman near Lanier 400 Parkway in Cumming. The body was later identified as Benson.
Authorities have not shared any information about how they connected Spaulding with Benson’s death or if the two knew each other.
Spaulding remains in custody in New Jersey, facing a murder charge. He will eventually be extradited to Georgia, at which time he will be booked into the Fulton County Jail.
The investigation into the case remains ongoing. If you have any information that could help, call the GBI’s Regional Investigative Office in Cleveland at (706) 348-4866 or the agency’s tip line at 1-800-597-8477.
New Jersey
Battle of the cinnamon rolls: Jersey City coffee shop caught in zoning dispute
A popular Jersey City coffee shop is facing down a zoning complaint that could force them to temporarily shut their doors.
“I think our reaction when we heard of this most recent zoning complaint was just real frustration because we’ve done everything right,” said co-owner of the Hive, Kristin Karotkin.
Kristin and Catherine Willhoit run the Hive together.
They told News 12 they are permitted to sell coffee and baked goods under their current zoning designation, retail.
However, a nearby neighbor has filed a complaint seeking to have the business reclassified as a commercial restaurant, a move that could require The Hive to halt operations while the zoning issue is sorted out.
“The fact that one person is kind of challenging the way that zoning is interpreted really just feels like a kick in the gut for a business that’s not only beloved here in the neighborhood but has done everything we are supposed to,” Karotkin said.
City officials previously denied the neighbor’s initial complaint, but the issue is now back before the city following an appeal.
According to the appeal, the central issue comes down to one item: cinnamon rolls.
The complaint alleges The Hive is operating a commercial kitchen to bake them on-site.
The owners dispute that claim, though, and showed News 12 the shop’s oven, the only one on the premises.
“There’s nothing being made from scratch in the back room here,” Karotkin said. “It’s all made off-site and then baked here in our shops.”
Beyond their own business, the owners worry the outcome of the case could have broader implications for small businesses across Jersey City as well.
“A lot of small businesses, if this keeps happening in Jersey City, they’re going to stop trying — they’re going to stop coming here,” Karotkin said.
A zoning board meeting is scheduled for April 9, where officials are expected to make a determination on The Hive’s future.
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