Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
Passaic Prosecutor: Duo Tried To Bribe Child Sex Assault Victim, Witness With Cash, Car, More Passaic Prosecutor: Duo Tried To Bribe Child Sex Assault Victim, Witness With Cash, Car, More Passaic Prosecutor: Duo Tried To Bribe Child Sex Assault Victim, Witness With Cash, Car, More
Passaic Prosecutor: Duo Tried To Bribe Child Sex Assault Victim, Witness With Cash, Car, More A Passaic County man and a companion tried to bribe a child sex assault victim and a witness with cash, tuition assistance – even a car -- to change their stories, authorities said. Sergio Bernal, 33, of Passaic was originally charged with sex assaults on the underage victim at various residences in Passaic from October 2013 to August 2020, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said Thursday. A judge ordered that he remained held in the Passaic County Jail pending trial. Both Bernal and Maricella Gonzalez, 52, of Garfield then tried to get the victim and witness to recant their state…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
Clifton Driver Charged With Injuring Paterson Officer In Route 20 Construction Site Hit-Run Clifton Driver Charged With Injuring Paterson Officer In Route 20 Construction Site Hit-Run Clifton Driver Charged With Injuring Paterson Officer In Route 20 Construction Site Hit-Run
Clifton Driver Charged With Injuring Paterson Officer In Route 20 Construction Site Hit-Run A Clifton driver left his SUV and ran after it struck a Paterson police cruiser -- seriously injuring a city officer -- at a Route 20 construction site, authorities said. Aaron Rosas, 32, drove his 2020 Acura MDX through a barricaded construction site between 4th and 5th avenues around 4 a.m. last Saturday, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora said in a joint statement. The SUV struck a city police car, injuring the officer inside the parked vehicle, Valdes and Baycora said. Rosas drove off, they said, but the vehicle eventually became disab…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
Prosecutor: Paterson Officer Shoots At Stolen SUV Headed Straight For Him Prosecutor: Paterson Officer Shoots At Stolen SUV Headed Straight For Him Prosecutor: Paterson Officer Shoots At Stolen SUV Headed Straight For Him
Prosecutor: Paterson Officer Shoots At Stolen SUV Headed Straight For Him Authorities weren't sure whether anyone in a stolen SUV was injured when a Paterson police officer fired a shot at the fleeing vehicle as it headed straight at him. The officer had activated his cruiser’s lights and pulled in front of the stolen Volkswagen Tiguan, which stopped momentarily near the corner of Market and East 22nd streets around 2 a.m. Thursday, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said. The officer had gotten out and was in the path of the stolen vehicle as it came around the police car, Valdes said. He fired a single shot from his service weapon at the SUV, which ke…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
Pedestrian Struck, Killed Outside Paterson Religious Store Pedestrian Struck, Killed Outside Paterson Religious Store Pedestrian Struck, Killed Outside Paterson Religious Store
Pedestrian Struck, Killed Outside Paterson Religious Store A 56-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed as she crossed the street in front of a Paterson religious goods store, authorities said. Susie Maluya was pronounced dead at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center moments shortly after she was struck by a 2013 Honda in the middle of the block on Straight Street off Park Avenue around 8 p.m. Wednesday, they said. The 24-year-old Hackensack driver remained at the scene and didn’t immediately receive any summonses, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora said. An investigation was continuing, they sai…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
4-Month-Old Baby Hospitalized With Broken Ribs, Paterson Man Charged 4-Month-Old Baby Hospitalized With Broken Ribs, Paterson Man Charged 4-Month-Old Baby Hospitalized With Broken Ribs, Paterson Man Charged
4-Month-Old Baby Hospitalized With Broken Ribs, Paterson Man Charged A four-month-old child was hospitalized with broken ribs that authorities said were caused by a 22-year-old Paterson man. Narciso "Junior" Alejandro remained held Wednesday in the Passaic County Jail, charged with child abuse and endangerment, as well as with violating a restraining order, records show. Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said detectives from her Special Victims Unit began investigating after being alerted by the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency that the injured child had been brought to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center. Investigators interview…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
Sussex Woman Becomes 5th Charged With Murder In Ambush Shooting Death Of Newark Man In Paterson Sussex Woman Becomes 5th Charged With Murder In Ambush Shooting Death Of Newark Man In Paterson Sussex Woman Becomes 5th Charged With Murder In Ambush Shooting Death Of Newark Man In Paterson
Sussex Woman Becomes 5th Charged With Murder In Ambush Shooting Death Of Newark Man In Paterson A 24-year-old mother from Sussex County became the fifth person charged with murder in the shooting death of a 21-year-old Newark man who was ambushed in Paterson earlier this year. Jenna N. Peselli of Newton surrendered to Paterson police on Monday and was booked into the Passaic County Jail, records show. She joins two adults – a man and woman, both 19, from Paterson, and two city boys, both 17 – who are accused of planning and executing the slaying of Jose Figueroa at the corner of Totowa and Redwood avenues shortly before 7 p.m. May 1, authorities said. A team of shooters were recruit…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
GOTCHA! Authorities Nab Hawthorne Woman's Accused Killer GOTCHA! Authorities Nab Hawthorne Woman's Accused Killer GOTCHA! Authorities Nab Hawthorne Woman's Accused Killer
Gotcha! Authorities Nab Hawthorne Woman's Accused Killer UPDATE: A 23-year-old Paterson man was charged with murder after detectives identified him as the gunman who shot and killed a Hawthorne woman behind a city grammar school last winter. Police reported finding Nasreen Yashi, 41, behind the K-5 No. 15 School on Oak Street shortly before 2 a.m. Feb. 11. She’d been shot several times, they said. Yashi died of her injuries the next day at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora said. Rashawn Pelham already was in the Passaic County Jail on unspecified unrelated…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
Paterson Man, 39, Charged With Sexually Assaulting Child, 11 Paterson Man, 39, Charged With Sexually Assaulting Child, 11 Paterson Man, 39, Charged With Sexually Assaulting Child, 11
Paterson Man, 39, Charged With Sexually Assaulting Child, 11 A Paterson man was charged with sexually assaulting an 11-year-old at a city residence, authorities said Monday. Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said Valerio Almonte-Espinal, 39, was arrested by members of her Special Victims Unit following interviews with the alleged victim and several witnesses. They were tipped off by the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency, she said. Almonte-Espinal was charged with sexual assault and child endangerment and sent to the Passaic County Jail to await a detention hearing later this week. Meanwhile, Valdes asked that anyone with a…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
Authorities: Passaic Resident Stabs Man, Threatens Woman With Child Authorities: Passaic Resident Stabs Man, Threatens Woman With Child Authorities: Passaic Resident Stabs Man, Threatens Woman With Child
Authorities: Passaic Resident Stabs Man, Threatens Woman With Child Police quickly nabbed a Passaic ex-con who they said stabbed a man and then threatened a city woman who was with a child. The 37-year-old victim was taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center after he was stabbed several times as he sat in a vehicle near the corner of Passaic and 10th streets shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Passaic Police Chief Luis A. Guzman said. City police captured Reynaldo Naranjo-Rodriguez, 37, of Paterson four blocks away, they said. They charged him with attempted murder, aggravated assault, child endangerment and wea…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
Authorities: Paterson Police Nab Attempted Murder Suspect With Gun, Heroin Authorities: Paterson Police Nab Attempted Murder Suspect With Gun, Heroin Authorities: Paterson Police Nab Attempted Murder Suspect With Gun, Heroin
Authorities: Paterson Police Nab Attempted Murder Suspect With Gun, Heroin A 20-year-old Paterson man was charged with attempted murder, among other offenses, for shooting and wounding a 19-year-old city resident in a notorious drug neighborhood, authorities said. City police who chased down Dazhier Huggins found him carrying a 9mm handgun and 100 heroin folds near the corner of Lafayette and Mercer Streets, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora said in a joint announcement. Two nights earlier, Huggins shot the victim at the corner of Carroll and Harrison streets, they said. The victim was treated at St. Joseph’s Re…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
Paterson Ex-Cons Wounded In Shooting Treated, Charged With Gun Possession Paterson Ex-Cons Wounded In Shooting Treated, Charged With Gun Possession Paterson Ex-Cons Wounded In Shooting Treated, Charged With Gun Possession
Paterson Ex-Cons Wounded In Shooting Treated, Charged With Gun Possession Two Paterson ex-cons who showed up at the hospital with gunshot wounds could both be headed back to prison. Rashon Johnson, 30, and Nascir Robinson, 22, each showed up at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in private vehicles within minutes of one another around 2:30 a.m. July 5, authorities said. Both men told police that they were “in the area of Park Avenue and Madison Avenue when an unknown individual began shooting at them,” Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora previously said in a joint release. A vehicle was struck and shell casi…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
Dealer Caught With More Than 28 Pounds Of Coke Worth $720,500 In Passaic, Authorities Charge Dealer Caught With More Than 28 Pounds Of Coke Worth $720,500 In Passaic, Authorities Charge Dealer Caught With More Than 28 Pounds Of Coke Worth $720,500 In Passaic, Authorities Charge
Dealer Caught With More Than 28 Pounds Of Coke Worth $720,500 In Passaic, Authorities Charge A Paterson man was busted with more than 28 pounds of cocaine with a street value of $720,500 during a fugitive roundup, authorities announced Thursday. Tydel Clark, 31, was arrested following a warranted search of a Passaic city residence and his vehicle, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey Juan Mattos Jr. said. The news came amid a joint announcement by both of an operation that they said produced 133 arrests and the seizure of guns and drugs. Authorities targeted active warrants and fugitive cases, most of them in Paterson, Valdes …

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by Jerry DeMarco