Budd Lake Man Among 25 Arrested in Child Porn Sting

James Engle faces charges of possession and distribution of child pornography.

A Budd Lake man is accused of possession and distribution of child pornography, Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa announced Wednesday. James Engle, 28, was among 25 people arrested as part of an operation aimed at child pornography, including child rape videos.  Dozens of law enforcement agencies and more than 50 officers took part in the effort, dubbed Operation Ever Vigilant. The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the West Long Branch Police Department contributed to the effort, according to a news release issued by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. The Digital Technology Investigations Unit of the New Jersey State Police began the investigation approximately three months ago by searching for New Jersey residents who …

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Hundreds Mourn Death of Budd Lake Teen

Family and community members pay final respects to Nicholas Michael Cianciotto III, who was ice fishing when he and his friend fell into the frigid waters of Budd Lake last week.

Funeral Arrangements Set For Teen Lost in Budd Lake

Nick Cianciotto's wake held at St. Jude R.C. Parish in Budd Lake Friday, funeral mass on Saturday.

What a few days ago was unthinkable, friends and family are now faced with the reality of saying goodbye to Nicholas Michael Cianciotto, III, 15, of Mt. Olive, one of two teenagers who died after falling into Budd Lake Monday night.  According to the release from the Leber Funeral Home in Chester, the family received visitors Friday at St. Jude Parish in Budd Lake. A funeral mass for Cianciotto is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Jude. Interment is scheduled to take place at Christ the King Cemetery in Franklin Lakes. A post on the Mt. Olive Bus Drivers public facebook page said that overflow parking will be available at Turkey Brook Park from 5 p.m. on and that bus drivers are donating their time to shuttle people back and forth. …

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Search Resumes for Second Teen in Budd Lake

Body of one teenage boy who went missing in icy water was found Tuesday afternoon, search for the second was suspended Tuesday night, prosecutor says.

Update, 10 a.m. Wednesday: Dive and recovery teams have resumed searching for the body of the second teen in Budd Lake as of 8 a.m. First Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Zelante said the Morris County Prosecutor's Office will release a statement later in the day. Mt. Olive Mayor Rob Greenbaum wrote on his public Facebook page Wednesday morning, "Let's bring the last boy home today." The search for the second teen, missing since Monday night in the partially frozen waters of Budd Lake, was suspended Tuesday afternoon, Acting Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said. Knapp said the New Jersey State Police Marine Service Bureau's six divers spent more than six hours searching in the icy waters on Tuesday. "The divers who used sonar to assist …

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Long Valley resident

5:19 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013

FYI LVresident....the fire house I was talking about, houses fire trucks and my point being that its a shame fire men...not EMT's, were not at that FIRE house that night who were paid, not volunteers, who have the equipment to responded instantly, instead of it being paged out, crew members driving in their own personal vehicles with blue lights to get to the building, fire up the trucks and then…   more ›

Teens Missing in Icy Waters of Budd Lake, Prosecutor Says

Area residents said they heard screams for help, but search of lake unsuccessful Monday night.

Two teens remained missing Monday night after multiple agencies searched the icy waters of Budd Lake for hours, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said. The search was expected to continue as conditions allowed through the night, Acting Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said. "There were multiple calls yelling for help," from the lake, Knapp said. "Two local residents attempted to make a rescue in their own boat but were unable." Mt. Olive Police Cpl. Eric Anthony confirmed the search had yet to yield any results as of about 9 p.m., contradicting an earlier report that one person had been rescued. "Nobody was removed from the lake," Anthony said. "Incorrect info originally reported." An earlier report from NJ.com said an individual…

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Belvidere Man Dies, Two Injured in Route 46 Crash

Police say victim was not wearing his seat belt.

A 34-year-old Belvidere man was killed in a two-car accident on Route 46 in Budd Lake Thursday morning, while two others were taken to the hospital, according to Mount Olive police. Christopher Connors was pronounced dead at Hackettstown Regional Medical Center after succumbing to injuries sustained in the crash, police said.  Police said Connors was traveling eastbound on Route 46 near the intersection of Woodland Avenue shortly after 6 a.m. when the 2003 Honda Accord he was driving crossed from the eastbound lane into the westbound lane. At that point, police said his car collided head-on with a 1997 Chevrolet van that was traveling westbound in the right lane. The force of the crash caused Connors' vehicle to leave the roadway and come …

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