For Immediate Release: November 29, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces the launch of a public safety video series produced by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office (“BCPO”). The series, entitled “Need to Know”, will provide valuable information to improve the safety of the Bergen County community. For many years, the BCPO has produced social media messages that provided tips on how to avoid being a victim of criminal activities like senior scams, porch pirates, and car thefts. These tips are now being formalized into the “Need to Know” video series, which will offer information so that community members can choose to take action or change behaviors to live more safely. “Utilizing the knowledge base of the BCPO’s subject matter experts – our assistant prosecutors and investigators – provides an invaluable resource for Bergen County,” stated Prosecutor Musella. “Sharing potentially life-saving information with our community members will promote…

For Immediate Release: November 26, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of BENJAMIN P. RITTER, 23, of Washington Township, 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 September 13, 2024, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit identified BENJAMIN P. RITTER during an ongoing Internet child pornography investigation. The investigation, which involved a court-authorized search of RITTER’s electronic device, revealed that RITTER viewed, saved, downloaded, and/or possessed 31,110 items depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children. As a result of the investigation, BENJAMIN P. RITTER was arrested on Monday, November 25, 2024, in Paramus, NJ and charged with second-degree possession of child pornography, N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(b)5(b)(ii). RITTER was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a first…

For Immediate Release: November 25, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 42-year-old JONNATHAN DIAZ-GOMEZ of Elizabeth, NJ, on charges stemming from several residential burglaries in Bergen County, NJ. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Paramus Police Department under the direction of Chief Robert Guidetti. On Saturday, April 27, 2024, at approximately 8:35 p.m., Officers from the Paramus Police Department responded to an attempted burglary in progress on Ehret Steet in Paramus. The responding Officers observed a vehicle parked, idling and occupied by multiple suspects. An additional male suspect was crouching next to the vehicle. The suspects scattered upon the arrival of the Paramus Police Officers, and two men were taken into custody, including the driver of the vehicle, later identified as JONNATHAN DIAZ-GOMEZ. As a result of the…

For Immediate Release: November 25, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 25-year-old ANDREW SALAMONE of Moonachie, NJ on charges of aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. 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 Moonachie Police Department under the direction of Chief Richard Behrens. On Thursday, November 22, 2024, the Moonachie Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding the alleged sexual assault of two juveniles that had occurred in the past. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Moonachie Police Department revealed that ANDREW SALAMONE sexually assaulted the juveniles, on multiple occasions, when the children were under the age of sixteen, in Moonachie, NJ. As a result of the investigation, on Friday, November 22, 2024, ANDREW SALAMONE was…

For Immediate Release: November 25, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces the following additional information related to the ongoing investigation of a fatal crash that occurred in Teaneck, NJ on November 21, 2024. This continuing investigation is being conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Teaneck Police Department under the direction of Chief Andrew McGurr. As previously reported, on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at approximately 6:59 p.m., the Teaneck Police Department responded to several 911 calls reporting a pedestrian lying in the roadway. Upon arrival, officers determined that the pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle, which left the scene of the collision. The pedestrian was subsequently identified as 70-year-old Bernardita Garcia of Englewood, N.J. She was transported from the scene to Holy Name Hospital where she was ultimately pronounced deceased. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit…

For Immediate Release: November 22, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 34-year-old JOSE HIGINIO RAMOS SOLIS of Oakland, NJ on charges of attempted murder, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and possession of a weapon. 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 Oakland Police Department under the direction of Chief Keith Sanzari. On Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 2:56 p.m., the Oakland Police Department responded to a stabbing at 455 Ramapo Valley Road in Oakland, NJ. Upon arrival, responding officers discovered that a 53-year-old male was stabbed, and the assailant had fled the scene. The suspect, later identified as JOSE HIGINIO RAMOS SOLIS, was subsequently apprehended a short distance from the scene by Oakland Police Officers, while the victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment. The…

For Immediate Release: November 20, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 21-year-old KISHAN S. SHETH of Newark, NJ on various charges, including murder. The arrest was the result of a homicide investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Paramus Police Department under the direction of Chief Robert M. Guidetti. On Monday, November 18, 2024, at approximately 4:08 p.m., the Paramus Police Department conducted a welfare check of a 74-year-old female resident on East Ridgewood Avenue. Upon arrival, officers located the resident, identified as Rita Acharya, deceased on her couch. Accordingly, the Paramus Police Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, and a joint investigation was initiated. The investigation revealed that KISHAN S. SHETH, an acquaintance of the victim, entered the home, murdered Rita Acharya by strangling and stabbing her, and stole her vehicle…

For Immediate Release: November 14, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 28-year-old HUGO R. PAZ-LAJUJ of Fort Lee, NJ on charges stemming from a 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 Palisades Park Police Department under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Captain James Rotundo. On Monday, October 14, 2024, at approximately 6:40 a.m., the Palisades Park Police Department responded to a 911 call reporting that a pedestrian had been struck by a motor vehicle on Brinkerhoff Avenue. Upon arrival, officers determined that the vehicle involved left the scene of the collision. The pedestrian, who was identified as a 17-year-old male from Fort Lee, NJ, was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. The Palisades Park Police Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit,…

For Immediate Release: November 9, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of 39-year-old RAMON MORILLO, of Fort Lee, NJ; 31-year-old BRANDON MORILLO of Lodi, NJ; and 34-year-old JOSEPH DIAZ of Fort Lee, NJ, on charges stemming from a months-long narcotic investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck. During July 2024, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotic Task Force initiated an investigation into narcotics activity in Bergen County, NJ that allegedly involved RAMON MORILLO. During the weeks and months ahead, detectives determined that RAMON MORILLO was conspiring with BRANDON MORILLO and JOSPEH DIAZ in a drug trafficking organization that involved the transportation of narcotics throughout Bergen County, New Jersey and New York. On Thursday, November 7, 2024, with the assistance of the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Search Warrant Execution Team, detectives…

For Immediate Release: November 6, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 18-year-old JUSTIN M. URGILES of Demarest, NJ on charges of sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and assault. The arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, the Tenafly Police Department under the direction of Chief Robert Chamberlain, and the Demarest Police Department under the direction of Acting Chief Frank Visaggio. On Saturday, September 14, 2024, the Tenafly Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding the alleged sexual assault of a juvenile. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Tenafly Police Department revealed that JUSTIN M. URGILES sexually assaulted a juvenile, under the age of eighteen, in Tenafly, NJ. As a result of the investigation, on Monday, November 4, 2024, JUSTIN M.