For Immediate Release: October 18, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of STEPHEN BOJEKIAN, 69, of Franklin Lakes, NJ, on the charge of possession of child sexual abuse material. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck. On Thursday, October 17, 2024, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at the residence of STEPHEN BOJEKIAN during the course of an Internet child sexual abuse material investigation. The investigation revealed that BOJEKIAN used the Internet to view, download, and possess items depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children. As a result of the investigation, STEPHEN BOJEKIAN was arrested on Thursday, October 17, 2024, in Paramus, NJ and charged with third-degree possession of child pornography, N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(b)5(b)(iii). BOJEKIAN was remanded to the Morris County Jail pending…

For Immediate Release: October 18, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the sentencing term handed down in Bergen County Superior Court against AUGUSTO PEREZ of North Bergen, NJ in connection with the 2021 stabbing death of Omar Cruz. On February 16, 2021, AUGUSTO PEREZ stabbed Omar Cruz to death behind the Ulta Beauty store in the Bergen Town Center mall in Maywood, NJ. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Maywood Police Department, and Paramus Police Department led to the arrest of PEREZ at his North Bergen home on February 17, 2021. On April 5, 2024, after a six-week trial before the Honorable Susan J. Steele, J.S.C. in Bergen County Superior Court, a jury convicted AUGUSTO PEREZ of aggravated manslaughter and hindering his own apprehension by suppression of blood evidence connecting him to the crime. On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, during a proceeding before the…

For Immediate Release: October 16, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces the following additional information related to the ongoing investigation of a fatal crash that occurred in Midland Park, NJ. This investigation is being conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Midland Park Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Powderley. As previously reported, on Friday, October 11, 2024, at approximately 7:09 p.m., the Midland Park Police Department responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle on Godwin Avenue. Upon arrival, officers determined that the involved vehicle left the scene of the collision. The struck pedestrian was subsequently identified as 70-year-old Paul Adams, whose last known address was in Wyckoff, NJ. He was transported from the scene to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center where he was ultimately pronounced deceased. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s…

For Immediate Release: October 16, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of MATTHEW S. CHINCHILLA, 18, of Lodi, NJ, on charges of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck. On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at the residence of MATTHEW S. CHINCHILLA during the course of an Internet child sexual abuse material investigation. The investigation revealed that CHINCHILLA used the Internet to view, download, possess, and distribute items depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children. As a result of the investigation, MATTHEW S. CHINCHILLA was arrested on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, in Paramus, NJ and charged with second-degree distribution of child pornography, N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(b)5(a)(i); and third-degree possession of child…

For Immediate Release:October 15, 2024 The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Ramsey Police Department investigated a fire that occurred in Ramsey, NJ, on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at approximately 9:27 p.m. Following their initial response and fire suppression efforts, the Ramsey Police Department and Fire Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad of a three-alarm fire at a private residence on Carriage Lane. Fire Investigators from the Prosecutor’s Office responded to the scene. The investigation revealed that two residents were home at the time of the fire and were able to safely evacuate. Arson investigators concluded that the fire was accidental in nature. The joint investigation was conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Ramsey Police Department under the direction of Chief Brian Lyman. Prosecutor Musella would like to thank the Ramsey Police Department, Ramsey…

Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces the following information:  The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad, the South Hackensack Police Department, and the Port Authority Police Department are investigating a series of connected events that occurred earlier this morning throughout Bergen County, NJ. On Sunday, October 13, 2024, at approximately 2:34 a.m., the South Hackensack Police Department responded to a business on Route 46 following a motor-vehicle crash and a reported stolen vehicle.  The occupant of the crashed vehicle abandoned it in South Hackensack after crashing, and attempted to steal another nearby vehicle, but was unsuccessful.  The suspect, however, successfully committed an armed carjacking of an additional vehicle, allowing him to flee the scene before officers arrived.  Responding officers notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and detectives from the Special Investigations Squad initiated a joint investigation.  Detectives soon learned that the crashed vehicle was previously stolen out of New…

For Immediate Release: October 11, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 29-year-old STEVEEN G. NOVILLO-CABRERA of Kearny, NJ on charges stemming from a fatal hit-and-run accident. The arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Lyndhurst Police Department under the direction of Chief Richard Jarvis. As previously reported, on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at approximately 9:49 p.m., the Lyndhurst Police Department received a 9-1-1 call reporting that a pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle. The pedestrian, who was identified as 57-year-old George Arnold of Lyndhurst, NJ, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Accordingly, the Lyndhurst Police Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, which responded to the scene and initiated a joint investigation. The investigation revealed that a 2020 Honda Civic struck the victim as…

The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Midland Park Police Department are investigating a fatal hit-and-run motor-vehicle accident that occurred on Godwin Avenue at the intersection of Witte Drive.   On Friday, October 11, 2024, at approximately 7:09 p.m., the Midland Park Police Department responded to a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle on Godwin Avenue.  Upon arrival, officers determined that the involved vehicle left the scene of the collision.  The adult male pedestrian was transported to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center with serious injuries where he was ultimately pronounced deceased.   This investigation is being conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Midland Park Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Powderley.  No other information is available at this time, including information about the deceased, pending notification to the next of kin.

For Immediate Release: October 11, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces the following information:As previously reported, on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at approximately 9:49 p.m., the Lyndhurst Police Department responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle. Upon arrival, officers determined that the vehicle involved left the scene of the collision. The pedestrian, who was subsequently identified as 57-year-old George Arnold of Lyndhurst, NJ, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit was notified and responded. A joint investigation was initiated that is still underway and no further information is available at this time. Prosecutor Musella would like to thank the Lyndhurst Police Department and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation, along with the Tenafly and Paramus Police Departments, which both participate in the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit Task…