For Immediate Release:
June 27, 2023

Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced charges against NOE GABRIEL HERNANDEZ (DOB: 10/21/1998; single; unemployed) of 930 S. 7th Street, Allentown, PA, and JUAN ROSARIO (DOB: 03/12/1998; single; unemployed) of 247 N. 8th Street, Allentown, PA, for burglary, theft, and criminal mischief. The arrests are the result of a joint investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Jason Love and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Sheriff Anthony Cureton.

On Monday, March 20, 2023, a theft of approximately 17 catalytic converters from vehicles owned and operated by the County of Bergen occurred at 178 Essex Street in Lodi, NJ. Subsequently, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office were notified of the incident and initiated an investigation with their partners at the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives were later alerted to a second burglary at the County facility that occurred on Monday, May 1, 2023. During the second burglary, Bergen County Sheriff’s Officers discovered 2 catalytic converters had been removed from County owned vehicles.

During an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, NOE GABRIEL HERNANDEZ and JUAN ROSARIO were identified as suspects.

On Friday, June 23, 2023, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office located and arrested HERNANDEZ without incident. HERNANDEZ and ROSARIO were each charged with two counts of third-degree burglary, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2a; two counts of third-degree theft, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a; and two counts of third-degree criminal mischief, N.J.S.A. 2C:17-3a. HERNANDEZ was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ. An arrest warrant was issued for ROSARIO.

Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and he would like to thank the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance with the investigation.