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 victims to record…

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 one count of…

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 Police Department…

For Immediate Release: August 7, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 21-year-old JADEN A. VAZQUEZ of Guttenberg, NJ in connection with an armed robbery in Edgewater, NJ. This arrest follows the previous announcement concerning the results 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. As previously reported on Friday, 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 that occurred in June 2024 in Edgewater, NJ. Additionally, Prosecutor Musella announced charges against 21-year-old JADEN A. VAZQUEZ of Guttenberg, NJ: first-degree armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(2); second-degree conspiracy to commit…

For Immediate Release: August 4, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces the following information related to the investigation of a fatal crash that occurred on Pascack Road in Woodcliff Lake, NJ. This investigation is being 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 Friday, August 1, 2025, at approximately 4:51 p.m., the Woodcliff Lake Police Department responded to a serious accident involving a motorcycle on Pascack Road, near the intersection of West Hill Road. Responding officers from Woodcliff Lake, with assistance from local EMS and paramedics, as well as police officers from surrounding towns, converged on the accident. Despite life-saving efforts, the motorcyclist, who was later identified as 24-year-old Frank J. Fea of Middletown, NY, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Woodcliff Lake Police Department subsequently notified the…

For Immediate Release: August 4, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 37-year-old DIEGO A. ZHININ of Teaneck, NJ on charges of sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, 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 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 between November 2020 until July 2025. As a result of the investigation, on…

For Immediate Release: August 4, 2025 Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces updated information regarding the investigation into a fatal shooting that occurred on Garibaldi Avenue in Lodi, NJ. This joint investigation is being 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 Sunday, August 3, 2025, at approximately 10:57 p.m., the Lodi Police Department responded to several reports of shots fired at a residence on Garibaldi Avenue. Upon arrival, first responders located an unresponsive male with an apparent gunshot wound and immediately began life-saving measures. The 33-year-old male, later identified as Amr Ali, was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased as a result of this shooting. The Lodi Police Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, and detectives from the Prosecutor’s Office responded…

For Immediate Release: August 4, 2025 This year, on the evening of Tuesday, August 5, communities across the nation will celebrate America’s night out against crime. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes strong police/community partnerships and neighborhood rapport to make communities safer, more caring places to live and work. Many Bergen County towns will offer family friendly activities, food, and informational giveaways. At this year’s events, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office will partner with ten police departments to recognize the importance of neighbors getting to know their neighbors as well as local law enforcement members in an atmosphere of safety and unity. “National Night Out is a unique opportunity for us to share important safety information as we engage with local residents,” said Prosecutor Mark Musella. “This annual gathering is a crime prevention event – to openly discuss how to improve safety and quality of life…