Police Charge Monmouth County Quarantine Violators

MONROE, NJ — The Rumson man accused of hosting a gathering of people Saturday night to listen to Pink Floyd music may be the state's most notorious case (he says he did not organize the gathering), but the New Jersey Attorney General and State Police have listed numerous other incidents of alleged bad behavior during the coronavirus pandemic.

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal publicly releases the arrests every few days throughout the pandemic. Here are some recent examples in Monmouth and Ocean counties:

• A Monroe Township man was arrested Sunday, April 5 after police say he hosted a gathering of 15 to 20 people in the backyard of his house in Seaside Park. Thomas Wilson, 56, of Monroe, was charged with violating the emergency orders against large group gatherings.
• A Holmdel resident, Joseph Benigno, 56, was similarly charged on March 31 after police said he held an auction of 15 to 20 people at a warehouse in Edison.
• Louis Nunez, 52, of Manalapan, was charged on April 2 with making terroristic threats during a state of emergency and throwing bodily fluid at an officer. As he was being booked at the Monmouth County Jail on an unrelated matter he became belligerent and allegedly threatened to spit on a corrections officer, stating he had the coronavirus, said State Police.

And there have been numerous alleged incidents in Lakewood:

• William Katzenstein, 39, of Lakewood, was charged on March 26 with violating the emergency orders for holding a wedding with 20 to 30 people in his backyard.
• Eliezer Silber, 37, and Miriam Silber, 34, of Lakewood, were charged on March 29 with violating the emergency orders and five counts of child neglect for holding a bat mitzvah with 40 to 50 adults and children outside their home.
• David Gluck, 48, and Abraham Haberfield, 32, of Lakewood, were charged on March 30 with maintaining a nuisance for holding a gathering of approximately 35 males in a school facility that Gluck owns and Haberfield manages.
• Yaakov Kaufman, 47, and Eti Kaufman, 45, of Lakewood, were charged on March 31 with violating the emergency orders and six counts of child neglect for holding an engagement party at their home with a large number of adults and children. Thirteen adult guests also were charged with violating the emergency orders.
• Samuel Manheim, 27, of Brooklyn, N.Y., and 16 other individuals were charged on April 1 with violating the emergency orders for attending an outdoor funeral in Lakewood. Manheim was also charged with hindering apprehension for initially refusing to identify himself to police. Approximately 60 to 70 people were present for the funeral.
• Ephraim Adler, 42, and Sarah Adler, 18, of Lakewood, were charged on April 2 with violating the emergency orders for opening the Brooklyn Southwest clothing store in Lakewood to customers. A sign on the door stated “Maximum of 50 People.”
• Nathan Kline, 66, of Lakewood, was charged on April 2 with violating the emergency orders for illegally selling alcohol out of a rental truck in a residential neighborhood where more than 10 people were present.

And State Police say Anthony Lodespoto, 43, of Matawan, allegedly sent messages through social media threatening to attack Jewish residents in Lakewood with a baseball bat after photos of the above incidents circulated on social media. He was charged on March 26 with making terroristic threats during a state of emergency.

The state is also seeking to take away the liquor license for a rural New Jersey bar, the Post Time Pub in Blairstown, for allegedly continuing to be open and serve drinks to customers on March 27 and April 2. The pub was twice issued criminal charges, said the AG.

Violating the coronavirus emergency order is a disorderly persons offense, however it can carry the potential sentence of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, warned the AG.

Violators can also potentially face criminal charges including second, third, and fourth degree indictable offenses.

"Our police officers are working bravely and tirelessly every day to protect us during this health crisis. Regrettably, they are being called upon far too often to deal with people violating the emergency orders— or what is more egregious, people using the virus to spread fear or impede officers in their vital work,” said Attorney General Grewal. “Staying home and maintaining social distance isn’t just the best advice to stay healthy, it’s the law. Make no mistake, we will do everything in our power to keep our residents and officers safe, and that means we won’t hesitate to file charges against violators.”