Ocean county prosecutor ray coles honored with national digital justice award

Ocean County prosecutor Ray Coles honored with national digital justice award

by
April 2, 2025
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TOMS RIVER, N.J. — Raymond Coles of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office has been named a recipient of Cellebrite’s inaugural Digital Justice Awards, recognized for his role in solving complex cases through advanced digital forensics.

Coles is the son of Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles. He was hired in 2016.

Coles received the Voice for the Voiceless honor, an award presented during Cellebrite’s first-ever C2C User Summit, which celebrates individuals using digital evidence to bring justice to victims and closure to families. Cellebrite provides digital forensic technology to over 7,000 law enforcement agencies globally.

Key Points

  • Raymond Coles of Ocean County honored with Cellebrite’s Voice for the Voiceless award
  • Award presented at Cellebrite’s C2C User Summit, recognizing digital forensic leadership
  • Coles’ work helped solve a homicide by recovering critical evidence from a suspect’s phone

Digital detective work earns Ocean County’s Coles top honors for cracking high-stakes case.

The award highlights Coles’ role in a homicide investigation where digital tools became crucial. After a man was fatally stabbed and the suspect denied involvement, claiming to be miles away, investigators were able to unlock the suspect’s phone. “The data inside connected all of the pieces and eventually led police to the murder weapon,” according to a statement.

“These are folks who are fighting this battle every day,” Cellebrite said in recognizing Coles and others working behind the scenes. The company noted that the volume of digital evidence in modern investigations has surged, with law enforcement now spending an average of 69 hours per case, analyzing up to five devices.

Coles’ recognition comes at a time when digital forensics is playing a growing role in solving crimes, particularly in areas like Ocean County where technology is helping close gaps in investigations with little physical evidence.

The award acknowledges professionals who bring a voice to victims through their work in digital forensics, emphasizing the community impact of such efforts.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital news organization covering New Jersey, national politics, public policy, public safety, and community affairs. With years of experience reporting on local government, elections, law enforcement, and issues impacting residents throughout New Jersey, Stilton has built a reputation for delivering timely news, in-depth reporting, and accountability journalism.

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