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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 over large sums of cash to avoid jail time, police said.
The scam, which began last month, involved nine victims and was carried out using caller ID spoofing technology, investigators found. Authorities say the trio traveled in person to collect the money, exploiting victims’ fears.
Search warrants executed at two Paterson residences led authorities to a stash of fentanyl, heroin packaging materials, cash, and illegal firearms, police said. Detectives seized a loaded, unregistered handgun with hollow-point ammunition allegedly belonging to Yasen Delgado, and a loaded illegal assault rifle allegedly belonging to Delareese Delgado, officials said.
Yasen R. Delgado has been charged with maintaining a drug production facility, multiple counts of theft by deception and extortion, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, firearms offenses, forgery, impersonating a law enforcement officer, and possession of drug paraphernalia, authorities said.
Ahjainay N. Gawthney has been charged with nine counts of conspiracy to commit theft by extortion, theft by deception, and money laundering, according to police.
Delareese Delgado has been charged with illegal weapons possession, including possession of a prohibited firearm and large-capacity magazine, officials said.
All three remain in Bergen County Jail pending their court appearances in Bergen County Superior Court, officials said.
Authorities credited the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, and local police departments for their roles in dismantling the operation.
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