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.

For Immediate Release: November 6, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of a 16-year-old juvenile from Bergen County on charges stemming from a shooting. 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 Ridgefield Park Police Department under the direction of Chief Joseph Rella. On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at approximately 7:26 p.m., the Ridgefield Park Police Department responded to a report of a person bleeding at a private residence in town. Upon arrival, officers discovered a 15-year-old female who suffered an apparent gunshot wound to the back. The victim was transported to an area hospital, and she remains hospitalized in critical condition. Responding officers quickly took a 16-year-old male into custody at the scene. Accordingly, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit responded and initiated a joint investigation…

For Immediate Release: November 4, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 38-year-old SANTOS MARTINEZ-MARTINEZ of Hackensack, NJ on charges of luring, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal sexual contact. 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 Hackensack Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Antista. On Friday, November 1, 2024, the Hackensack Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding the alleged sexual contact of a child. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office revealed that SANTOS MARTINEZ-MARTINEZ groped a child under the age of 14 in Hackensack, NJ. As a result of the investigation, on Saturday, November 2, 2024, SANTOS MARTINEZ-MARTINEZ was charged with second-degree luring, N.J.S.A. 2C:13-6; second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(1); and fourth-degree criminal…

For Immediate Release: November 4, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of 49-year-old DIOGENES A. ROSARIO of New York, NY; 38-year-old LEONEL PEREZ of New York, NY; and 38-year-old MISAEL DIAZ of Yonkers, NY, on charges stemming from a home invasion and robbery. 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 Cliffside Park Police Department under the direction of Chief Marc Marano. On Saturday, October 12, 2024, at approximately 1:50 a.m., the Cliffside Park Police Department responded to a home invasion at a multi-family residence on Crescent Lane. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad was notified, responded, and initiated a joint investigation with the Cliffside Park Police Department into the incident. During the initial stages of investigation, law enforcement was informed that three male suspects forced entry into…

For Immediate Release: November 1, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of 19-year-old BEIKER A. AGUILERA AREYAN of East Elmhurst, NY; 23-year-old DANIEL A. RIVAS-ALVARADO of New York, NY; 25-year-old YEISON J. AMARANTE BOLIVAR of Miami, FL; and 26-year-old JHON C. REQUENA YERENA of the Bronx, NY on charges stemming from an armed robbery. The arrests 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 Maywood Police Department under the direction of Chief Terence Kenny. As previously reported, on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at approximately 11:15 a.m., the Maywood Police Department, along with backup officers from the Paramus and Rochelle Park Police Departments, responded to a jewelry store on West Pleasant Avenue in Maywood. Responding law enforcement determined that an armed robbery occurred at the business, and the suspects had already fled…

For Immediate Release: October 31, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the conviction of MARCELO VELEZ, 59, formerly of Woodcliff Lake, NJ, in connection with the aggravated sexual assault of a child that occurred on January 2, 2021. After a three-week trial that began in October 2024 before the Honorable James X. Sattely, P.J.Cr. in Bergen County Superior Court, the defendant was found guilty. Sentencing is scheduled for January 24, 2025. On Sunday, January 3, 2021, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit received information from the Woodcliff Lake Police Department regarding an alleged sexual assault of a child. The investigation revealed that MARCELO VELEZ engaged in sexual acts with a child under the age of 13 in his residence in Woodcliff Lake. VELEZ was subsequently arrested by detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and the Woodcliff Lake Police Department on charges related to…

For Immediate Release: October 31, 2024 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the charge of false public alarm filed against ADELE ULRICH, 72, of Wayne, NJ. The charge is the result of a months-long investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck. On Saturday, August 17, 2024, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Intelligence & Counter-Terrorism Unit were notified by the Teaneck Police Department that an unknown telephone caller using technology to anonymize their “caller ID” placed a telephone call to Holy Name Medical Center claiming that several bombs were going to detonate in the hospital. First responders, including the Teaneck Police Department, Teaneck Fire Department, and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, along with hospital officials, took measures to ensure the safety of the facility while members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Threat Management Unit and detectives from the…