Luis Velez, 58, of Paterson, was taken into custody in Totowa without incident and charged with third-degree false public alarms, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said.
The charge stems from an incident on Sept. 8, 2024, around 2:30 p.m., when Velez allegedly entered the basement of Paterson City Hall with two women and pulled a fire alarm box, according to Valdes. Surveillance video showed Velez using his hand to set off the alarm, even though there was no emergency, the prosecutor said.
The alarm forced an evacuation of City Hall and prompted a response from the Paterson Fire Department, authorities said.
Velez is due in Central Judicial Processing Court on Aug. 22. He is being represented by Michael P. DeMarco of North Haledon, the prosecutor said.
This is not the first time Velez has made headlines this year.
In May, video footage of the councilman surfaced online after a car crash in Paterson, prompting speculation he had been under the influence. The accident happened around 12:30 a.m. on Monday, May 12, at 12th and Madison avenues, according to police.
Velez later released a statement denying the claims.
“Any claims circulating on social media are completely false, and I urge residents to allow law enforcement to complete their investigation,” Velez said. “As a council member, I believe no one is above the law, including myself, and traffic laws exist to protect everyone.”
A local woman, Knolaisha Carter, shared photos and videos to Facebook after the crash, claiming Velez had run a red light and hit her car “with not one care in the world.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-877-370-PCPO or [email protected].
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