For Immediate Release: August 1, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of 24-year-old JULIO A. PEREZ of North Bergen, NJ; 21-year-old JUSTIN L. ACOSTA of Charles Town, WV; and 23-year-old KENNY M. VEGA of West New York, NJ on charges stemming from an armed robbery in Edgewater, NJ. Additionally, Prosecutor Musella announced charges against 21-year-old JADEN A. VAZQUEZ of Guttenberg, NJ. These arrests and the charges filed in this matter are the result of a year-long investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Edgewater Police Department, under the direction of Chief Donald Martin. On Thursday, June 13, 2024, at approximately 7:50 p.m., officers from the Edgewater Police Department responded to an armed robbery at a commercial parking lot on River Road. Responding officers learned that five victims, including two juveniles, parked their vehicle in the lot when…

For Immediate Release: July 30, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the sentencing term handed down in Bergen County Superior Court on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, against 46-year-old CLARENCE STOKES of Paterson, NJ in connection with the 2021 murder of 44-year-old Latrice Avery and 67-year-old Stanley Gunter, both of whom resided in Hackensack, NJ when the defendant murdered them. On August 25, 2021, just prior to 9:00 p.m., the Hackensack Police Department responded to a stabbing on the front porch of a multi-family residence in Hackensack, NJ. Upon arrival, first responders located Latrice Avery who had suffered multiple stab wounds to her head, arms, and torso. Ms. Avery was transported to HMH Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, NJ, where she was ultimately pronounced deceased. Officers also located Stanley Gunter’s lifeless body in his upstairs residence. Hackensack EMS attempted life-saving measures; however, Mr. Gunter was pronounced deceased at the…

For Immediate Release: July 25, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests and indictments of 21-year-old OMAR I. CETINER of Hackensack, NJ; 20-year-old ISLAM A. SALAAM of Hackensack, NJ; and 29-year-old ALAN A. VALDEZ-METZ of Paterson, NJ related to an armed robbery investigation. Prosecutor Musella also announced charges against a 17-year-old juvenile from Paterson, NJ. Also related to this investigation, Prosecutor Musella announced the arrest and indictment of 23-year-old MICHAEL N. FENNER of Hackensack, NJ on CDS-related offenses. The arrests, charges, and indictments are the result of a months-long 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 Tuesday, April 29, 2025, the Hackensack Police Department received information about an armed robbery that occurred days earlier on Sunday, April 27, 2025, near the intersection of East Pleasantview Avenue and…

For Immediate Release: July 25, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 34-year-old CHRISTOPHER BATTIN of Milwaukee, WI, on the charges of aggravated sexual extortion of a child, child endangerment, lewdness, 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. On Friday, March 7, 2025, the North Arlington Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit regarding a child under the age of 13 who was being contacted online by a stranger. Detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit and the North Arlington Police Department initiated an investigation and quickly suspected that the online stranger may be an adult who was sexually extorting the child. During the course of the months-long investigation that followed, detectives determined that the online stranger engaged the child in sexually explicit…

For Immediate Release: July 25, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces the following information related to the investigation of a fatal crash that occurred on Ramapo Valley Road in Oakland, NJ. This investigation is being 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 Timothy Keenan. On Thursday, July 24, 2025, at approximately 3:43 p.m., the Oakland Police Department responded to a report of multiple pedestrians struck by a vehicle at the intersection of East Oak Street and Ramapo Valley Road (Route 202). First responders including police, fire, and EMS resources, and with assistance from medevac helicopters, arrived on scene to render aid to four pedestrians, later identified as a 32-year-old female; a 6-year-old male; a 4-year-old male; and a 9-month-old female. All four pedestrians were transported from the scene with varying degrees of…

For Immediate Release: July 24, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of 19-year-old JEREMIAH L. RIVERA of Saddle River, NJ, and 20-year-old SHA’ZEIK DAVIS of Mahwah, NJ on charges stemming from a shooting that occurred in Saddle River, NJ. These arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Saddle River Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jason Cosgriff. On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at approximately 6:16 p.m., the Saddle River Police Department, with mutual-aid assistance from surrounding towns and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, responded to shots fired outside a private residence on Chestnut Ridge Road in Saddle River with no injuries reported. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit was notified, responded to the scene, and initiated a joint investigation with the Saddle River Police Department. Responding officers and…

For Immediate Release: July 22, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced an upgraded charge against 34-year-old OSMARY JIMENEZ-LUNA of North Bergen, NJ related to a hit-and-run accident. The upgraded charge is the result of an ongoing investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Leonia Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Tamagny. As previously reported, on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at approximately 4:35 a.m., the Leonia Police Department responded to Grand Avenue, near the intersection with Ames Avenue, after an unconscious pedestrian was found along the side of the road. Upon arrival, officers determined that the pedestrian had injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. The adult female pedestrian was transported by ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center with critical injuries. Detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, along with accident investigators from the…

For Immediate Release: July 21, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 68-year-old RICHARD B. TANCER of Montville, NJ for sexual assault offenses. These charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Little Ferry Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Walters. On Friday, July 18, 2025, the Little Ferry Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding an alleged sexual assault that occurred on the same day at the Family Medical Group located in Little Ferry, NJ. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Little Ferry Police Department revealed that RICHARD B. TANCER sexually assaulted an adult female patient while performing an examination at the practice. As a result of the investigation, RICHARD B. TANCER was arrested in Montville, NJ and charged with…

For Immediate Release: July 15, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 34-year-old OSMARY JIMENEZ-LUNA of North Bergen, NJ on charges stemming from a hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian. 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 Leonia Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Tamagny. On Thursday, July 10, 2025, at approximately 4:35 a.m., the Leonia Police Department responded to Grand Avenue, near the intersection with Ames Avenue, after an unconscious pedestrian was found along the side of the road. Upon arrival, officers determined that the pedestrian had injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. The adult female pedestrian was transported by ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center with critical injuries. The Leonia Police Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit, along…

For Immediate Release: July 14, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 60-year-old TROY R. TAYLOR of Hackensack, NJ on charges of aggravated arson, arson, failure to control or report a fire, theft of a motor vehicle, and criminal mischief. 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 Garfield Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Delaney. On Friday, July 11, 2025, at approximately 1:17 a.m., the Garfield Police Department received a report that a 2019 Honda Civic was stolen from the area of Monroe Street. Upon arrival, officers determined that the owner of the vehicle placed the keys on the bar while patronizing a local tavern, and the keys subsequently went missing. While speaking to the owner of the vehicle, responding officers observed an active car fire on the…