MAYS LANDING — The status conference for the only man left alive who is charged with murder in the 2012 killing of April Kauffman was postponed Thursday.
Ferdinand “Freddy” Augello, 62, of Upper Township, an alleged Pagans motorcycle gang leader, has been rescheduled to appear at 1:30 p.m. June 7 before Judge Bernard DeLury in Atlantic County Superior Court.
No information was available about why it was postponed, a spokeswoman for the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office said.
Augello is accused of hiring a hitman to kill April Kauffman — a move prosecutors say was motivated by her now-deceased husband Dr. James Kauffman’s desire to hide an opioid drug ring he ran through his Egg Harbor Township medical practice with Augello, who pleaded not guilty during his arraignment April 19.
Augello has been indicted on charges of murder of April Kauffman, the attempted murder of James Kauffman and leading the alleged drug-trafficking network.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy, who is representing the state in this case, said at Augello’s arraignment there is a plea offer for Augello on the charges of murder, attempted murder and racketeering.
Six other defendants in the case pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering, distribution of drugs and conspiracy to distribute drugs as part of the drug ring.
Joseph Mulholland, 52, of the Villas section of Lower Township
Beverly Augello, 48, of Summerland Keys, Florida
Glenn Seeler, 37, of Sanford, North Carolina
Paul Pagano, 61, of Egg Harbor Township
Tabitha Chapman, 35, of Absecon
Cheryl Pizza, 36, of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
Those defendants were previously released from jail by DeLury pending trial, while Augello remains in Atlantic County jail.
Levy said they were all offered plea deals for first-degree racketeering, which could carry a maximum sentence of 20 years. Pagano, Mulholland, Chapman and Seeler have status conferences scheduled for June 14, along with co-defendant Beverly Augello, the ex-wife of Ferdinand Augello. Pizza is scheduled for a June 13 conference.
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/crime/kauffman/man-accused-in-april-kauffman-killing-drug-ring-court-appearance/article_d868256f-e55d-5413-a06e-bb7e642fa632.html
Ferdinand “Freddy” Augello, 62, of Upper Township, an alleged Pagans motorcycle gang leader, has been rescheduled to appear at 1:30 p.m. June 7 before Judge Bernard DeLury in Atlantic County Superior Court.
No information was available about why it was postponed, a spokeswoman for the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office said.
Augello is accused of hiring a hitman to kill April Kauffman — a move prosecutors say was motivated by her now-deceased husband Dr. James Kauffman’s desire to hide an opioid drug ring he ran through his Egg Harbor Township medical practice with Augello, who pleaded not guilty during his arraignment April 19.
Augello has been indicted on charges of murder of April Kauffman, the attempted murder of James Kauffman and leading the alleged drug-trafficking network.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy, who is representing the state in this case, said at Augello’s arraignment there is a plea offer for Augello on the charges of murder, attempted murder and racketeering.
Six other defendants in the case pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering, distribution of drugs and conspiracy to distribute drugs as part of the drug ring.
Joseph Mulholland, 52, of the Villas section of Lower Township
Beverly Augello, 48, of Summerland Keys, Florida
Glenn Seeler, 37, of Sanford, North Carolina
Paul Pagano, 61, of Egg Harbor Township
Tabitha Chapman, 35, of Absecon
Cheryl Pizza, 36, of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
Those defendants were previously released from jail by DeLury pending trial, while Augello remains in Atlantic County jail.
Levy said they were all offered plea deals for first-degree racketeering, which could carry a maximum sentence of 20 years. Pagano, Mulholland, Chapman and Seeler have status conferences scheduled for June 14, along with co-defendant Beverly Augello, the ex-wife of Ferdinand Augello. Pizza is scheduled for a June 13 conference.
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/crime/kauffman/man-accused-in-april-kauffman-killing-drug-ring-court-appearance/article_d868256f-e55d-5413-a06e-bb7e642fa632.html