death

Two Arrests Made in Drug-Induced Death Case

Two Arrests Made in Drug-Induced Death Case

**Hackensack, NJ** – Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of Robert Wichowski, 31, and Xiomara Frias-Barbosa, 28, from Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, for drug-induced death and related drug offenses. The operation was conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Hackensack Police Department, led by Chiefs Matthew Finck and Michael Antista.

On November 2, Hackensack Police Department responded to a medical emergency involving the death of a 54-year-old man. Evidence suggested a Fentanyl overdose, prompting an investigation.

Following a thorough investigation, detectives identified Wichowski and Frias-Barbosa as suppliers of the fatal drug dose. With support from Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, Hasbrouck Heights PD, and Bergen County Regional SWAT Team, a search warrant was executed on March 5 at their residence, leading to the seizure of several hundred bags of suspected Fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.

Both individuals were charged with numerous offenses including strict liability for a drug-induced death, possession and distribution of Fentanyl, and possession of drug paraphernalia. They

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Delaware Corporation Pleads Guilty to OSHA Violation in Worker’s Death

Delaware Corporation Pleads Guilty to OSHA Violation in Worker’s Death

**Columbus, OH** – A Delaware corporation with operations in Ohio has admitted guilt in a federal court located in the Southern District of Ohio for breaching an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation. The breach is associated with a fatal incident in which a pneumatic door fatally injured an employee.

Fabcon Precast LLC, operating in Grove City, Ohio, along with other locations, specializes in manufacturing precast concrete panels. Employees, known as batch operators, handle the facility’s sole concrete mixer, with concrete ejected from a pneumatic door. An exhaust valve that neutralizes the door’s pneumatic energy remained unrepaired after its handle broke.

On June 6, 2020, 20-year-old Zachary Ledbetter, a batch operator since January, was present when the discharge door failed post-operation. Unable to secure the door due to the broken valve, Ledbetter was fatally trapped when attempting to fix it. He was later hospitalized where he succumbed to his injuries five days later.

Federal regulations classify the willful disregard of an OSHA safety standard leading to an employee’s death as a class B misdemeanor, the sole federal criminal charge for such

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Baltimore County Judge Sentences Nicole Johnson to Life in Prison for Death of Two Children

Baltimore County Judge Sentences Nicole Johnson to Life in Prison

**Baltimore, MD** – A judge in Baltimore County has sentenced Nicole Johnson to life imprisonment, with all but 50 years suspended. This sentence follows Johnson’s arrest in July 2021 when police discovered the decomposing bodies of her 7-year-old niece and 5-year-old nephew in the trunk of her vehicle during a traffic stop.

In addition to the prison sentence, Johnson has been placed on five years of probation and is required to obtain mental health treatment. The judge has also barred Johnson from having any contact with minors under the age of 18.

Baltimore County Police Department has been involved in this case since the discovery of the children’s bodies. The case has attracted attention due to the severe nature of the crimes and the subsequent legal proceedings.

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