Bodega Owners Charged With Aggravated Arson In Fire That Damaged Jersey City Grocery Store

A pair of Jersey City bodega owners were charged with setting fire to their shop in June of last year, authorities said.

Amado Gonzalez-Abreu and Francisca Duran-Tejada.
Photo Credit: *Hudson County Prosecutor's Office*

Cecilia Levine

10/01/2020 4:42 p.m.

Amado Gonzalez-Abreu, age 38, and Francisca Duran-Tejada, age 47, were arrested at the Jersey City Fire Department Headquarters on Marin Boulevard Wednesday, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.

Members of the Jersey City Fire Department were responding to a fire alarm at 9 Linden Ave., in Jersey City when they noticed smoke coming from the first floor store at 343 Princeton Ave., around 6:20 a.m. June 9, 2019, Suarez said.

Smoke billowed from the three-story, wood- frame constructed residential building with four units, though the fire was contained to the first floor grocery store, La Tribu Minimart, Suarez said.

The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Regional Arson Task Force has arrested and charged Gonzalez-Abreu and Duran-Tejada with arson for insurance fraud purposes, Suarez said.

The Regional Arson Task Force and the Jersey City Fire Department helped with the investigation.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Regional Arson Task Force at (201) 915-1345 or leave an anonymous tip on the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office official website. All information will be kept confidential.

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