For Immediate Release: August 29, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 37-year-old ROBERT J. MESERVE, III of Plymouth, MA, on charges of distribution of child sexual abuse material, sexual extortion, terroristic threats, and stalking. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck. In June 2025, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit received information about alleged sexual extortion. The adult victim reported that, over the course of several weeks, multiple unknown phone numbers called her and sent threatening messages to her and family members, including sending and then deleting photos and videos depicting the victim nude or engaged in sexual acts. Despite eight different phone numbers utilized to make contact, the sender appeared to be ROBERT J. MESERVE, III, with whom the victim was acquainted. An investigation…

For Immediate Release: August 27, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced additional charges against 37-year-old DIEGO A. ZHININ of Teaneck, NJ. The additional charges are the result of an ongoing investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck; the Hackensack Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Antista; the Maywood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Terence Kenny; and the Teaneck Police Department, under the direction of Chief Andrew McGurr. As previously reported, on Friday, August 1, 2025, the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding the alleged sexual abuse of a juvenile under the age of sixteen. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Teaneck Police Department revealed that DIEGO A. ZHININ sexually assaulted a juvenile under the age of sixteen in Teaneck…

For Immediate Release: August 25, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced criminal charges against 33-year-old YUSEF E. MUHAMMAD of Jersey City, NJ. These charges are related to a stabbing that occurred in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ on Monday, August 18, 2025, and were filed after an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Hackensack Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Antista. On Monday, August 18, 2025, at approximately 9:25 p.m., the Hackensack Police Department was notified by HMH Hackensack University Medical Center that a stabbing victim arrived at the hospital. Responding officers met with hospital staff who were treating a 33-year-old woman with multiple stab wounds. Responding officers determined that the victim arrived at the facility in a vehicle, which ultimately drove off. The victim was admitted in critical condition. She underwent emergency surgery for her…

For Immediate Release: August 25, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of GASTON NAVARRO, 40, of Paterson, NJ on charges of strict liability for drug-induced death and drug distribution. 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 Garfield Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Delaney. On Thursday, April 24, 2025, at approximately 6:43 p.m., the Garfield Police Department responded to a medical emergency at a private residence. Responding officers located an unresponsive 41-year-old male, who was ultimately pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency medical personnel. Indicators of a possible drug overdose were noted, and detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotic Task Force were notified. A joint investigation was initiated by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Garfield Police Department into the death…

For Immediate Release: August 18, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 56-year-old AIDONG YANG of Fair Lawn, NJ on the charge of criminal sexual contact. 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 River Edge Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael J. Walker. On Saturday, August 16, 2025, the Oradell Police Department in conjunction with the River Edge Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding an alleged sexual assault that occurred at the River Edge Foot Spa in River Edge, NJ. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the River Edge Police Department revealed that AIDONG YANG committed an act of criminal sexual contact against an adult female customer while performing a massage at the spa in River Edge, NJ.

For Immediate Release: August 16, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 23-year-old NICHOLAS M. SCARANO of Montclair, NJ, on charges of bias intimidation, terroristic threats, false public alarm, and unlawful computer activity. 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 Fort Lee Police Department, under the direction of Chief Matthew J. Hintze. On Thursday, August 14, 2025, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit was notified by the Fort Lee Police Department of a mass email containing bias and threatening language that was sent to 411 residents at the Atrium Palace condominium complex in Fort Lee, NJ during the overnight hours. Accordingly, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit alerted the Bias Crimes Unit and initiated a joint investigation with the Fort Lee Police Department into the…

For Immediate Release:August 15, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 26-year-old QURISTAFER D. LAND of Dallas, TX, on charges of production of child sexual abuse material, aggravated sexual extortion, sexual extortion, and impersonation. The arrest is the result of a months-long 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 L. Jarvis. In April 2025, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit received information from the Lyndhurst Police Department regarding possible acts of online sexual extortion. Detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit initiated an investigation and determined that an online stranger contacted an adult and a child via the social media application Snapchat. The preliminary investigation revealed that, over the course of the previous several months, the online stranger instructed the…

For Immediate Release:August 14, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 25-year-old RYAN J. CURTIN of Oakland, NJ on charges of production of child sexual abuse material, possession of child sexual abuse material, and invasion of privacy. 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 Ramsey Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Lyman. In April 2025, the Ramsey Police Department responded to Tiger Schulman’s Martial Arts at 885 Route 17 South in Ramsey, NJ to recover a hidden camera discovered inside of the publicly accessible restroom of the establishment. An investigation by the Ramsey Police Department revealed that RYAN J. CURTIN, an employee of the business, placed the camera in the restroom and recorded at least one adult patron. Consequently, CURTIN was arrested and charged with…

For Immediate Release: August 14, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the indictment of 59-year-old JED D. PHYKITT, of Dalton, MN, formerly of Washington Township, NJ, related to his February 2025 arrest on sexual assault charges. Additionally, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office is seeking information leading to his capture. The charges and indictment are the result of a nearly year-long investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck. As previously reported, on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, the Westwood Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding alleged incidents of sexual assault that occurred years ago. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit revealed that JED D. PHYKITT sexually assaulted a child who was between the ages of thirteen and sixteen in Hillsdale, Washington Township, and Westwood, NJ on multiple occasions…

For Immediate Release: August 7, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of 19-year-old ETHAN OLIVO and 21-year-old STARLIN SIRI of the Bronx, NY on charges of aggravated arson, arson, failure to control or report a fire, conspiracy to commit arson, receiving stolen property, and criminal mischief. The arrests were the result of a months-long investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Rochelle Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief Dean M. Pinto. On December 3, 2024, at approximately 7:17 a.m., the Rochelle Park Police Department and the Rochelle Park Fire Department responded to a vehicle on fire in a parking lot on Rochelle Avenue in Rochelle Park, NJ. Upon arrival, first responders discovered a 2020 Honda Accord fully engulfed in flames. The Rochelle Park Fire Department extinguished the car fire, and the Rochelle Park…