Brick Township women sentenced to prison for animal cruelty and child neglect

BRICK TOWNSHIP, NJ — Two Brick Township women were sentenced Friday to 364 days in the Ocean County Jail after pleading guilty to animal cruelty and child neglect. Michele Nycz, 60, and Aimee Lonczak, 51, also received four years' probation and a lifetime ban on owning or working with animals.

The ruling follows an investigation that began on December 2, 2022, when Brick Township police responded to an anonymous complaint about a possible puppy mill at a residence on Arrowhead Park Drive. Officers on scene reported a strong odor and barking coming from the home. When they entered the home, they found it in an unsanitary condition, with crates containing dogs and cats stacked on top of each other.

The situation was so bad that officers had to leave the home and call for a hazardous materials team. Rescue workers in protective gear later removed about 129 dogs and 43 cats from the home, along with the bodies of two dead dogs. Both Nycz and Lonczak, who lived in the apartment with Lonczak's 16-year-old child, were arrested at the scene.

In addition to the animal cruelty charges, Lonczak was convicted of child neglect related to the living conditions in his home. The sentences for Nycz and Lonczak will be served concurrently. As part of their sentencing, Judge Guy P. Ryan also imposed community service that excludes any contact with animals.

Nycz and Lonczak entered their guilty pleas before Judge Ryan at the end of June.

Brick Township women sentenced to prison for animal cruelty and child neglect

BRICK TOWNSHIP, NJ — Two Brick Township women were sentenced Friday to 364 days in the Ocean County Jail after pleading guilty to animal cruelty and child neglect. Michele Nycz, 60, and Aimee Lonczak, 51, also received four years' probation and a lifetime ban on owning or working with animals.

The ruling follows an investigation that began on December 2, 2022, when Brick Township police responded to an anonymous complaint about a possible puppy mill at a residence on Arrowhead Park Drive. Officers on scene reported a strong odor and barking coming from the home. When they entered the home, they found it in an unsanitary condition, with crates containing dogs and cats stacked on top of each other.

The situation was so bad that officers had to leave the home and call for a hazardous materials team. Rescue workers in protective gear later removed about 129 dogs and 43 cats from the home, along with the bodies of two dead dogs. Both Nycz and Lonczak, who lived in the apartment with Lonczak's 16-year-old child, were arrested at the scene.

In addition to the animal cruelty charges, Lonczak was convicted of child neglect related to the living conditions in his home. The sentences for Nycz and Lonczak will be served concurrently. As part of their sentencing, Judge Guy P. Ryan also imposed community service that excludes any contact with animals.

Nycz and Lonczak entered their guilty pleas before Judge Ryan at the end of June.
Brick Township man thought she was 14, but she was a police officer

BRICK TOWNSHIP, NJ — A 46-year-old Brick Township man was arrested Thursday after an investigation found him in possession of child pornography and attempting to provide obscene material to a minor. Christian Kohl faces several charges, including possession of child pornography and attempted endangerment of the welfare of a child.

The investigation was initiated following a report from the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicated that an individual had been sending and receiving child pornography online.

According to the Ocean County District Attorney's Office, a high-tech criminal investigation identified an IP address linked to Kohl's residence in Brick Township. Between May and August 2024, an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old girl conducted conversations with a user of the messaging service Kik. The user, later identified as Kohl, allegedly sent inappropriate nude photos and videos despite being repeatedly advised that the recipient was a minor.

On August 15, 2024, investigators from multiple agencies, including the Ocean County District Attorney's Office High Tech Crime Unit and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, executed a court-ordered search warrant at Kohl's residence. An initial forensic examination of his cell phone revealed several images of child pornography.

Kohl was arrested without incident at his home and is currently being held in the Ocean County Jail awaiting his detention hearing.
Philadelphia man arrested on multiple drug charges after traffic stop in Wildwood Crest

WILDWOOD CREST, NJ — A Philadelphia man was arrested in Wildwood Crest early Friday morning after police discovered various controlled dangerous substances (CDS) in circulation during a routine traffic stop. The incident occurred at approximately 3:10 a.m. near the intersection of Denver Road and Atlantic Avenue.

Matthew Monroe, 38, was stopped by Tyler Lavender, a police dog with the Wildwood Crest Police Department. During the stop, Lavender became suspicious that there was evidence of criminal activity inside the vehicle. K9 Quest, a police dog trained to detect drugs, was deployed to sniff the vehicle from the outside.

K9 Quest had a narcotic odor, which prompted officers to search the vehicle. According to Wildwood Crest Police, the search revealed quantities of what was believed to be cocaine, Xanax and ecstasy. In addition to the drugs, officers also found drug paraphernalia and an unknown amount of cash believed to be from the illegal sale of narcotics.

Monroe was charged with three counts of possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public park, three counts of possession of CDS with intent to distribute, three counts of possession of CDS, money laundering, possession of paraphernalia for distribution of CDS, and possession of paraphernalia for distribution of CDS.

The cash seized during the arrest was presented for confiscation.