Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces the following information: In coordination with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office is continuing the investigation into a police encounter that resulted in serious injury on Saturday in North Arlington, NJ.  A preliminary investigation has so far revealed that just before 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, 2025, law enforcement confronted an armed suspect in connection with an ongoing armed carjacking investigation that originated in Kearny, NJ.  The suspect was located on Porete Avenue in North Arlington, NJ.  During that encounter, the armed suspect was shot by law enforcement and transported to an area hospital. The suspect was treated for a gunshot injury and has since been discharged.  The suspect remains in police custody while the investigation into the armed carjacking continues.  Additional details will be released when possible.  Likewise, the investigation into the police encounter…

For Immediate Release: June 13, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 32-year-old JOSE PINZON LOPEZ of Woodcliff Lake, NJ on child abuse charges. 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 Woodcliff Lake Police Department, under the direction of Chief Stephen Regula. On Thursday, June 12, 2025, the Division of Child Protection and Permanency contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding an alleged incident of child abuse that had occurred in Woodcliff Lake, NJ. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Woodcliff Lake Police Department revealed that JOSE PINZON LOPEZ physically abused a juvenile in Woodcliff Lake, NJ on or about Wednesday, June 11, 2025. As a result of the investigation, on Thursday, June 12, 2025, JOSE PINZON LOPEZ was arrested in Woodcliff Lake,…

For Immediate Release: June 12, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced charges against two 18-year-old Bergen County men, both of whom were 17 years old at the time of the incident. These charges have been filed as a juvenile delinquency matter stemming from an armed robbery in Garfield, NJ, following a nearly year-long 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 Tuesday, August 13, 2024, at approximately 10:00 p.m., officers from the Garfield Police Department responded to an armed robbery on Westervelt Place. Upon arrival, officers located the victim who reported that individuals with handguns stole his property before fleeing. Accordingly, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad was notified of the armed robbery and responded to the scene. A joint investigation with the Garfield Police Department was…

For Immediate Release: June 11, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of 18-year-old DAVON WHITE of Paterson, NJ and a 17-year-old juvenile from Passaic County, NJ on charges stemming from a carjacking incident that occurred in Lodi, NJ. The arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Lodi Police Department, under the direction of Chief Donald Scorzetti. On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at approximately 10:00 p.m., officers from the Lodi Police Department responded to a vehicle stolen from a commercial business on Route 46 West. Responding officers learned that the victim/owner of the stolen vehicle was alerted by witnesses that his vehicle was being stolen outside. The victim exited the business and ran toward the vehicle, ultimately jumping on the hood while the vehicle was stopped at a nearby red light. When…

For Immediate Release: June 6, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 23-year-old EMERSON D. PEREZ GARCIA of Palisades Park, NJ on charges of 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 Palisades Park Police Department, under the direction of Officer-In-Charge Captain George Beck. On Monday, June 2, 2025, the Palisades Park Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding an alleged sexual assault of a juvenile that had occurred last month in Palisades Park, NJ. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Palisades Park Police Department revealed that EMERSON D. PEREZ GARCIA sexually assaulted and endangered a juvenile in Palisades Park, NJ in May 2025. As a result of the investigation, on Wednesday, June…

Immediate Release: June 6, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 71-year-old MANUEL A. BARRANTES of Fort Lee, 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 Teaneck Police Department, under the direction of Chief Andrew McGurr. On Thursday, May 29, 2025, the Teaneck Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding the alleged sexual assault of a juvenile that occurred in the past. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Teaneck Police Department revealed that MANUEL A. BARRANTES sexually assaulted and endangered a child under the age of sixteen on multiple occasions between August 2016 and August 2018 in Teaneck, NJ. As a result of the investigation, on Thursday, June…

For Immediate Release: May 30, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 57-year-old KAREN A. McEVOY of Teaneck, NJ on charges of theft by deception, impersonation, and forgery. 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 Teaneck Police Department, under the direction of Chief Andrew McGurr. In February 2025, the Teaneck Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit regarding an alleged theft of funds at a non-profit organization located in Bergen County. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Teaneck Police Department revealed that a volunteer of the organization, KAREN A. McEVOY, committed theft by deception by writing unauthorized checks from the organization’s bank account that she then deposited into her personal bank account. Specifically, detectives determined that McEVOY assumed the identity of another…

For Immediate Release: May 27, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 69-year-old BRUCE E. BEHRINGER of Park Ridge, NJ on charges of tampering with public records, false registration, and attempting to cast an illegal vote. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck. On March 4, 2025, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Confidential Investigations Unit received information from the Bergen County Board of Elections regarding alleged voting offenses by a Bergen County resident. An investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office revealed that between September 2020 and November 2024, BRUCE E. BEHRINGER falsely completed one New Jersey Voter Registration Application and three mail-in voter ballots in the name of another person. As a result of the investigation, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, BRUCE E. BEHRINGER was arrested and charged with third-degree…

For Immediate Release: May 27, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 22-year-old DEANDRE J. NUNEZ of Edgewater, NJ on charges of 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 Edgewater Police Department, under the direction of Chief Donald Martin. On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, the Edgewater 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 Edgewater Police Department revealed that DEANDRE J. NUNEZ sexually assaulted and endangered a child between the ages of thirteen and sixteen in Edgewater, NJ, on multiple occasions between November 2024 and May 2025. As a result of the investigation, on Thursday, May 22, 2025, DEANDRE J.

For Immediate Release: May 23, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 43-year-old MARK S. HETTINGER of Elmwood Park, NJ on the charges of tampering with public records and falsifying records. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck. On April 16, 2025, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Confidential Investigations Unit received information regarding the alleged tampering of public records and falsifying of records associated with the Borough of Elmwood Park Fire Prevention Bureau. An investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office revealed that on or about April 14, 2025, MARK S. HETTINGER, a Fire Inspector for the Borough of Elmwood Park, falsely completed a Fire Inspection Report and Fire Inspection Certificate. As a result of the investigation, on Thursday, May 22, 2025, MARK S. HETTINGER was arrested and charged with one…