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20 Indicted In Fentanyl, Heroin Ring That Fueled Drug Use Across North Jersey: AG
Twenty people have been indicted in the sweeping takedown of opioid mills that fueled drug distribution across North Jersey, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Wednesday, March 5.
ALSO SEE: 23 People Arrested In Another Massive NJ Drug Bust — Fentanyl, Guns, Seized, Prosecutor Says
The indictment, handed down by a state grand jury, includes 53 charges ranging from racketeering and drug trafficking to weapons offenses and financial crimes. Authorities say the suspects were part of the Rodriguez, Sanchez, and Gutierrez Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO), which operated from A…
Paterson Podcaster, Car Enthusiast Armando Mercado Dies, 39: 'Our Family Is Devastated'
Shock and sadness spread following the death of Armando Francisco Mercado, a Paterson resident who passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 25 after a four-year battle with cancer, according to his obituary on the Shook Funeral Home website and a GoFundMe launched for his support.
Born in Nyack, NY, Armando aka Mandi was a "proud" Paterson resident of 35 years, who spent most of his career working in sales, most recently at Verizon in Butler, his obituary says.
A lifelong movie lover, Armando shared his opinions on film through his podcast, The DRD Show, which has nearly 200 episodes, according t…
Northeast Cities Among Most Diverse In US: Here's What A New Study Says
The US population is rapidly diversifying, with cities in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic at the forefront, according to a new study.
WalletHub released its 2025 ranking of the nation's Most Diverse Cities on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Three Maryland communities topped the list of 501 locations, which were evaluated based on socioeconomic, cultural, economic, household, and religious diversity.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 10.2 percent of Americans identified as multiracial in 2020, a sharp increase from just 2.9 percent in 2010.
"The most diverse cities demonstrate diversity in many …
Fake Cops, Real Crimes: Paterson Crew Busted In $190K Bergen County Bail Scam: Prosecutor
Three Paterson residents have been arrested in connection with a phony bail bond scam that swindled nearly $190,000 from unsuspecting victims across Bergen County, authorities announced.
Yasen R. Delgado, 26; Ahjainay N. Gawthney, 27; and Delareese Delgado, 31, were taken into custody on Thursday, Feb. 27, following a multi-agency investigation, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
The suspects are accused of posing as law enforcement officers and bail bondsmen, calling victims and threatening them with arrest warrants for missing court dates or jury duty. Victims were told to hand o…
Drug Raid: Bergen County Residents Busted In Major Operation, Cops Say
A months-long investigation into an illegal drug distribution network led to coordinated police raids across North Jersey, resulting in multiple arrests and the seizure of weapons, drugs, and cash, authorities said.
The Wayne Police Department and New Jersey State Police executed the raids on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, with assistance from the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Clifton, Haledon, and Pompton Lakes Police Departments. Tactical units from the NJSP TEAMS Unit and Elmwood Park ERT helped officers enter several locations in Elmwood Park, Saddle Brook, Paterson, Bloomfield, and Mo…
Armed Trio Who Left Multiple Officers Injured In Wild Chase Indicted: Bergen County Prosecutor
A wild late-night police chase in Garfield last November ended with the arrests of three people — including two this month — on multiple weapons and assault charges, including one who allegedly dragged an officer with a getaway car, authorities said.
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of Christian V. Cepeda, 20, of Paterson; Dante N. Braxton, 20, of Paterson; and Elias X. Montanez, 20, of Elizabeth, following the Nov. 17, 2024, incident on River Drive, which left three Garfield officers injured.
Police responded to a suspicious incident involving masked individuals …
Gunman In Valentine's Day Hotel Armed Robbery Sought By Cops In Bergen County
Authorities in Bergen County are searching for a 31-year-old man with Paterson, NJ and Wilkes-Barre, PA ties accused of an armed robbery in a hotel parking lot.
Henry X. Rodriguez is wanted in connection to an incident that occurred on Friday, Feb. 14, at approximately 8:12 p.m., according to Detective Sergeant Eric Larsen of the Mahwah Police Department.
Police say Rodriguez confronted a man and woman in the parking lot of a local hotel, brandished a handgun, and stole the woman’s purse before fleeing the scene.
Rodriguez is known to have ties to both Paterson, NJ, and Wilkes-Barre, PA. A…
Former NJ Firefighter Kills Wife, Takes Own Life In Mt. Pocono Murder-Suicide: Police
A New Jersey native killed his wife before taking his own life days before Christmas in Mt. Pocono, Pennsylvania, police announced on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025.
Craig Zigarelli, 54, a former Rockaway Township, NJ, volunteer firefighter, fatally stabbed Joann Alberti, 47, inside their home on Brookville Terrace before turning a gun on himself, according to a Pocono Mountain Regional Police investigation and a Monroe County Coroner’s ruling.
Officers discovered the couple’s bodies on Dec. 23, 2024, at 1:54 p.m., after being dispatched for a welfare check. A concerned family member had reported…
PA Parents Sold Heroin From NJ Out Of Filthy Home With Kids Inside: DA
Two parents in Stroud Township are accused of selling heroin and fentanyl from their home while their young children lived in dangerous, squalid conditions, authorities announced on Friday, Feb. 7.
Jessica Walters, 35, and Robert Nochella, 35, were arrested after Monroe County detectives and Children and Youth Services discovered drug paraphernalia, scales, and packaging materials scattered throughout their home on Thursday, Feb. 6, officials said. Walters was reportedly withdrawing from fentanyl during the investigation, according to the criminal complaints.
The home, where Walters and Noc…
Grand Theft Auto, Passaic County Edition: 7 Stolen Cars Recovered, 2 Bronx Men Busted
A countywide operation targeting car thefts resulted in the recovery of seven stolen vehicles, two stolen license plates, and the arrest of two Bronx men, authorities in Passaic County announced.
The operation, conducted on Tuesday, Jan. 28, by the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, aimed to disrupt stolen car operations and related crimes across the county, with a particular focus on Paterson, Passaic County Sheriff Thomas Adamo said.
The two suspects arrested were identified as Jose Miguel Alberto Munoz, 21, and Joel Valdez, 29, both residents of the Bronx, NY. They were charged with r…
Ski-Masked ATV Operator Found With Handgun After Route 20, Clifton Pursuit: Cops
A 19-year-old Paterson man who police say committed multiple traffic violations in an ATV on major roadways was found with a handgun and burglary tools after leading a foot pursuit, authorities in Clifton said.
The incident began around 5:03 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, when Clifton Officers Benjamin Bressel and Fabricio Martinez, patrolling near the Route 21 North and Route 46 East merge, spotted a rider on a 2014 Honda TRX ATV, Lt. Robert Anderson said. The rider, later identified as Zahir Pujols, was wearing a ski mask and committing multiple motor vehicle violations, according to police.
The…
