Indictments Handed up Sept. 29

COURT HOUSE – A Cape May County grand jury handed up the following indictments Sept. 29:
Larry Hall, Kelly Costanzo
Independence Day brought large crowds to the beaches. Larry Hull, 39, and Kelly Costanzo, 36, a married couple from Philadelphia, joined beachgoers along with their three children ages 12 to 6. According to North Wildwood police, the couple was there for more than sun and surf.
Hall and Costanzo were seen allegedly taking property from momentarily unattended bags on the beach. Lifeguards detained Costanzo until police arrived, but Hall fled leaving his wife and children behind. He was later apprehended at Lincoln and Ocean avenues in Wildwood.
Items taken included over $500 in cash, cell phones, and a skim board. Both Hall and Costanzo ended up in Cape May County Correctional Center in lieu of bail. The children were placed in the custody of a relative.
This week the grand jury indicted the couple for theft and conspiracy, both in the third degree. If convicted, they could face three to five years in prison.
Francis Congleton, James E. Gartner
Francis Congleton, 22, of Del Haven, and James Gartner, 19, of Erma were indicted for conspiracy, burglary, and theft, all in the third degree.
On March 26, in Lower Township, the two allegedly entered a shed on Freedom Drive, taking possession of an electrical generator. The fact that the generator was valued at more than $500 made the crime a third-degree felony.
Daniel Fitzpatrick
Police stopped Daniel Fitzpatrick in Woodbine July 7. Fitzpatrick, later found to be in possession of methamphetamine, a Schedule II drug, allegedly fled and attempted to elude apprehension. The grand jury returned indictments against Fitzpatrick for possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS), third degree, along with resisting arrest and obstructing the administration of law, both fourth degree charges.
Stacy Hammer
Stacy Hammer, 40, a Middle Township resident, was indicted for endangering the welfare of a child, a third degree crime. According to the grand jury, Hammer assumed responsibility for a 15-year-old and “did cause harm” to the young person.
Hammer was also recently indicted for escape when she attempted to use force to gain her freedom from Middle Township Police Department in Court House. At that time, the grand jury said Hammer used force to “remove herself from official detention.”
Joseph Freeman
Joseph Freeman, 45, of Wildwood, was indicted for robbery, first degree, unlawful possession of a weapon, fourth degree, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, third degree, and possession of a CDS, third degree.
The charges stem from an incident in the early morning hours of July 25 in Wildwood. Police on routine patrol spotted one male chasing another in the bar district.
Investigation led police to conclude that one of the men had just been the victim of a robbery at knife point.  The victim had been chasing the alleged robber when police intervened.
Police recovered the knife and heroin from Freeman. Bail was set at $300,000 full cash and Freeman was lodged at the Cape May Correctional Center. A first degree crime can carry a prison term of 10 to 20 years or more depending on the nature of the crime.
William W. Shoffler
William Shoffler, 61, of Burleigh, was indicted on a number of weapons charges. The grand jury returned indictments for two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, both second degree, and one for a prohibited weapon, fourth degree.
Shoffler was accused on July 3 in Middle Township of possessing a handgun for which he had no permit, an Uzi 9mm semi-automatic carbine assault firearm, and a defaced Daewoo DP57 9mm Parabellum. Just the prior day, police arrested Shoffler for defiant trespass.
Wilfredo Santiago-Lopez
Wilfredo Santiago-Lopez, 18, of Wildwood was arrested in Wildwood Aug. 8 after allegedly assaulting a man and woman and threatening to kill the woman with a knife.
Santiago-Lopez was indicted for aggravated assault, terroristic threats, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, all third degree, and unlawful possession of a weapon, fourth degree.
Anne M. Somers
Over a period of just less than one year, Anne Somers allegedly defrauded a bank by depositing forged instruments allegedly authorized by an official at a local campground. Given that the theft involved more than the threshold $500, the grand jury indicted Somers for forgery and theft in the third degree.
Alberto Rodriguez
Having earlier been indicted in Cape May County on charges of possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, Alberto Rodriguez, of Middle Township, was released with the requirement that he appear in court on Sept. 17. Rodriguez did not show. This week the grand jury added an indictment for bail jumping in the third degree.
James Toland
James L. Toland was arrested on April 7 for criminal sexual contact in Middle Township. The grand jury this week indicted Toland for aggravated criminal sexual contact in the third degree.
According to the indictment, Toland allegedly took advantage of a person he knew to be “physically helpless.”
The individuals are only charged with the offenses and are presumed innocent until proven guilty.