The State Attorney General's Office has taken over prosecuting six cases of people threatening police officers by spitting or coughing on them, saying they have coronavirus.

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All six are charged with “making terroristic threats during a state of emergency," and the office is filing upgraded charges against them.

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The most recent case happened last week in Belleville.

 

According to officials, Vanessa Shaaraway, 35, of Kearny, was accused of shoplifting, and coughed on officers after trying to run away from them.

In addition, the cases involving David Haley, 52, of Perth Amboy, Raymond Ricciardi, 51, of New Providence, Marina Bishara-Rhone, 25, of River Edge, Kenneth Wideman Jr., 30, of Flemington, and Jennifer Burgess, 35, of Plainfield, which initially were charged by local police and county prosecutors, have been superseded for prosecution by the Division of Criminal Justice.

 

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal says anyone who threatens an officer, saying they have the virus, could face 10 years in prison and a $150,000 fine.

For more information on all the cases and the charges, click here.