Sheriff’s Officers Stole Designer Belt, Sneakers During East Orange Drug Raid: Prosecutor
Three Essex County Sheriff’s officers have been charged with theft after allegedly taking high-end sneakers and a designer belt during a narcotics search in East Orange, authorities said.
The incident happened on Jan. 10, 2023, at the apartment of Kirk Mansook, 470 Park Ave., Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II said in a Friday, Aug. 29 announcement.
At the time, Officers Jimmy Rodriguez, 39, of Kearny; Fabian Caicedo, 45, of East Rutherford; and Erik Udvarhely, 44, of Belleville were assigned to the Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, Stephens said.
Mansook was arrested on m…
Fort Lee Burglars Caught In The Act, Cops Say
Three people were arrested after police in Fort Lee interrupted a burglary in progress just after midnight on Monday, July 21, authorities said.
The incident happened around 12:46 a.m. near 206 New York Avenue, Fort Lee Deputy Police Chief Edward Young said in a press release.
Gerardine Paolello, 57, of Belleville; Tamir McFadden-Jordan, 33, of East Orange; and Nylah Walker, 24, of Newark were caught entering a parked vehicle in the area, the deputy chief said. Officers detained all three.
Police say the group had conspired to break into a nearby home. During the arrest, McFadden-Jordan wa…
'Quiet Fire:' Belleville Mom Cristina Navarrete Dies At 44, Leaves Behind Legacy Of Love
North Jersey mother Cristina Navarrete Andrade died on Tuesday, May 27 at 44 years old.
According to her obituary on the Levandoski-Grillo Funeral Home website, the Belleville resident "poured her heart into her family," raising her two daughters Angelina and Arianna, alongside her husband of 21 years, Pablo.
"Though soft-spoken, Cris carried within her a quiet fire — a strength that inspired, a firmness that came from love, and a heart full of selflessness," her obituary reads. "Whether it was gently correcting, warmly encouraging, or offering a knowing smile, she always gav…
Passenger, 22, Killed In Route 80 Crash: Njsp
A 22-year-old Union City man was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Route 80 early Saturday, Jan. 18, authorities said.
A Honda driven by a 22-year-old Belleville man was heading west when it veered off the road and struck a tree in Knowlton near milepost 6.2 around 3:05 a.m., according to New Jersey State Police Sgt. Charles Marchan.
The driver sustained minor injuries in the crash, while one passenger, a 19-year-old Passaic man, suffered moderate injuries. A second passenger, age 22, of Union City, died of his injuries, Marchan said. The victim's name was not released.
The crash re…
Bergen County Bank Manager Steals $70K From Employer: Prosecutor
A Belleville woman has been charged with theft by deception after authorities say she stole over $70,000 from her Bergen County bank, including funds from a customer’s account.
Amira T. White, 43, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 8, following a months-long investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
The investigation began in March 2024, when authorities were contacted about alleged thefts at a Bergen County bank. Prosecutors allege that White, a bank manager, stole $54,6…
Massive Fire Erupts In Orange Building
A massive fire ripped through a building in Essex County over the weekend.
The blaze out late Sunday night, Dec. 1, in a vacant three-story building on the 400 block of Main Street in Orange, formerly home to the Rossi Paint Company, according to Orange Deputy Fire Chief Elvin Padilla Jr.
The Orange Fire Department, led by Deputy Chief Rivera, responded to the blaze at approximately 9:30 p.m., encountering heavy flames consuming the top floor of the structure.
Mutual aid assistance was quickly called in from East Orange, West Orange, South Essex, Irvington, and Belleville Fire Departments.…
Man Gets 25 Years For Kearny Holiday Home Invasion
A 31-year-old Newark man was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Wednesday, July 24, for his role in a home invasion in Kearny three days before Christmas 2017, authorities said.
On Dec. 22, 2017, Evin Ferman-Argueta was one of three men who entered a woman's apartment and sexually assaulted her while demanding money, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. The men left with her vehicle and numerous personal items, Suarez said.
Ferman-Argueta had previously pleaded guilty to kidnapping, robbery and aggravated sexual assault, Suarez said. Two co-defendants, Erick Leon-Farinago, a 27…
Paramus Husband Mourns Loss Of Wife, Former Courthouse Secretary After Longtime Lupus Battle
Tracy Keenan, a 46-year-old mom from Paramus, died on Tuesday, July 2, after years of battling lupus, according to her obituary.
Tracy was born in Belleville and grew up in Park Ridge, graduating from Park Ridge High School, her obituary on the Vander Plaat Funeral Home website reads. She later worked at the Bergen County Courthouse in Hackensack as a secretary for 10 years, according to her obituary.
She is survived by her husband, Ilir; her three daughters, Lila, Abigail and Sidney; her mother, Maureen; siblings, Andrew, Megan and Kevin, along with numerous family members and friends, acc…
Vehicle Sought In Pipe Assault Robbery, Newark Police Says
A man was assaulted with a pipe and robbed in Newark on the early morning of Friday, May 31, authorities said.
At 3:41 a.m., two men and a woman struck the man with a metal pipe in his head, face, back and arm on the 400 block of North 5th Street, Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said.
The trio took the man's iPhone, $700 in cash and then fled in a silver 2006 Honda Ridgeline pickup truck with New Jersey license plate P97RBZ, Fragé said.
The four-door vehicle was seen in Clifton but frequents Clifton Avenue in Newark and Washington Avenue in Belleville, Fragé …
Sudden Death Of Passaic Police Officer, Mayor's Nephew Brian Lora Stuns Community
The sudden death of a 29-year-old Passaic police officer has spread shock and sadness through multiple communities.
Brian Lora, a Passaic police officer and Belleville resident, died unexpectedly on Monday, April 29, his department said.
"Officer Lora's tenure was marked by unwavering loyalty, exemplary work ethic, fearless commitment to duty, and steadfast adherence to the highest principles of law enforcement," the Passaic Police Department said. "The entire community mourns the loss of Officer Brian Lora, a true exemplar of duty and service."
Lora served in the School Resource Division …
