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Trap Rock Presses Trespassing Charges for Kids Posting Photos

Trap Rock Hopewell mine, Rt. 29

In the Chutzpah of the century award, I  just read that Trap Rock Industries, Inc. – the mining operation – had 3 kids charged with trespassing.

Trap Rock and police did not actually catch these kids on their property – in an ugly new form of police monitoring and social control, they discovered photos posted on the internet.

I guess they missed this: We wrote about and posted photos of Trap Rock way back on March 9, 2008 in our Star Ledger “NJ Voices” column – take a look at the photos. (The photos were taken in a public interest journalistic capacity with the reasonable expectation that Trap Rock would  not oppose the publicity. But if Trap Rock is thinking about coming after me for posting these photos, well, make my day: the applicable criminal trespass law has a 1 year statute of limitations.)

So check out  the Trenton Times story:

Hopewell police say quarry trespassers posted incriminating social network photos

 

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP – Two men and one woman have been charged with trespassing after a Trap Rock employee found pictures of the three on the company’s quarry posted on a social media website, police said.

Trap Rock Industries operates a rock quarry along Route 29 where the three allegedly trespassed on March 26. Police said Andromeda Scott, a 19-year-old Lambertville woman, 20-year-old Lawrence resident David Goldberg, and 20-year-old township resident Eric Major bypassed a security fence and ignored posted signs.

While on the property the three allegedly took photos, which wound up online. A Trap Rock employee saw them and contacted police, who began an investigation.

Officer Gerard Infantino charged Scott and Goldberg with criminal trespassing on May 21, and Major was charged with criminal trespassing May 27. They were processed at police headquarters and released pending an upcoming court date.

I can understand why Trap Rock doesn’t want people on their property taking photos and posting them on-line. And why Trap Rock is abusing laws to intimidate others from taking photos of their operations.

People might see all the massive destruction Trap Rock does to the earth (see above and below photos).

By seeing all that damage to the earth, people might get very angry and urge their legislators, local officials, and regulators like DEP and the County Soil Conservation District to pass tough laws and enforce existing laws and permits.

Who knows, Trap Rock could face enforcement fines and have permits and approvals denied.

If law enforcement officials are so willing to enforce trespass laws, surely they must know that Trap Rock regularly trespasses on public property with noise, vibration, visual ugliness, and air and water pollution.

Trap Rock mines consume huge amounts of water and destroy wildlife and habitat – publicly owned resources.

Trucks going to Trap Rock mines pollute the public air, pose safety hazards, and destroy public roads, costing the public millions of dollars in road maintenance.

I often see trucks going to and from the Trap Rock Rt. 29 Hopewell mine speed right through red lights at Washington Crossing.

Trap Rock is a hazard to the community –

Having local  people charged for trespassing is not exactly good community relations (pressing charges in required for trespass).

So, the next time any government approval for Trap Rock emerges, the laws should be strictly enforced, just like Trap Rock sought strict enforcement for trespass. Permits denied.

Trap Rock might have future permit applications denied too, like maybe this one:

D & R CANAL PARK REPORT
Ms. Kallesser noted that she met with representatives from Trap Rock Industries regarding their planning of a solar project near Rockingham. She noted that one field of the arrays will be visible from the Rockingham museum. It was noted that the issue of the application of the DRCC rules to Rockingham is still being reviewed.

Trap Rock Hopewell mine, Rt. 31