Tag:

Anthony Cureton

NJ Sheriff's Association Cites 'Fortitude, Resoluteness' Of Fallen Passaic Comrade Berdnik NJ Sheriff's Association Cites 'Fortitude, Resoluteness' Of Fallen Passaic Comrade Berdnik
NJ Sheriff's Association Cites 'Fortitude, Resoluteness' Of Fallen Passaic Comrade Berdnik "On behalf of the Sheriffs' Association of New Jersey, President Sheriff Gilbert "Whip" Wilson and its members, we express our sincere condolences for the loss of our dear brother in law enforcement, Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik. "Sheriff Berdnik's untimely passing was a shock to us all. He served as a member of the New Jersey Sheriffs Association for fifteen (13) years, where he worked hard to ensure the safety of the Passaic County residents and that the needs of the Passaic County community were addressed.  "Sheriff Berdnik was a man of great character, always mild-mannere…
Prosecutor: Investigation Underway Into Alleged Improprieties At Bergen Police Academy (UPDATE) Prosecutor: Investigation Underway Into Alleged Improprieties At Bergen Police Academy (UPDATE)
Prosecutor: Investigation Underway Into Alleged Improprieties At Bergen Police Academy (Update) In his first extended public comment since claims of misconduct at the local police academy were revealed by Daily Voice last month, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella confirmed that an investigation by his office is underway. “We take all allegations of misconduct seriously, and we immediately began an investigation” into the allegations at the Bergen County Police Academy in Mahwah after being notified of the alleged improprieties. All of the academy’s instructors except one were relieved of their duties by the New Jersey Police Training Commission (PTC) amid the accusations, Daily Voi…
ICE Moves To Take Custody Of Teaneck Chef Charged With Sexually Assaulting Underage Teen ICE Moves To Take Custody Of Teaneck Chef Charged With Sexually Assaulting Underage Teen
ICE Moves To Take Custody Of Teaneck Chef Charged With Sexually Assaulting Underage Teen Federal authorities took the first step Wednesday toward seizing a 37-year-old chef from Teaneck who was jailed locally on charges of sexually assaulting an underage teenager. Victorino Romero was initially arrested by detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit on Tuesday, Dec. 19, following a joint investigation with Teaneck police, records show. They accused him of sexually assaulting a youngster that criminal records say was between 13 and 16 years old. Romero, who is married, was sent to the county jail in Hackensack to await a first appearance in Centra…
Loaded Gun Found In Children's Toys: 5 Adults, Two Juveniles Seized In Little Ferry House Raid Loaded Gun Found In Children's Toys: 5 Adults, Two Juveniles Seized In Little Ferry House Raid
Loaded Gun Found In Children's Toys: 5 Adults, Two Juveniles Seized In Little Ferry House Raid Police who raided a rented Little Ferry home found a loaded gun in a children’s play area in a bag atop a pile of toys, authorities said. Six adults and three juveniles were initially taken into custody following the joint raid of the troubled John Street home by tactical squads from the Little Ferry and Lyndhurst police departments. Five adults were charged, only two of whom actually live there, according to police records. In addition to a loaded .22-caliber revolver that reportedly turned up in a children's basement play area, police said they located a loaded Glock 32 handgun with an a…
Colombian National Jailed On Child Sex Charges Out Of Elmwood Park, ICE Seeks Deportation Colombian National Jailed On Child Sex Charges Out Of Elmwood Park, ICE Seeks Deportation
Colombian National Jailed On Child Sex Charges Out Of Elmwood Park, ICE Seeks Deportation Federal immigration authorities placed a hold on a Colombian national jailed on charges of sexually assaulting an underage Elmwood Park teenager at least three times. Alejandro Suaza-Munoz, a 35-year-old day laborer, was arrested by detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Special Victims Unit on Tuesday, July 25, after they were notified of the allegations by Elmwood Park police. Suaza-Munoz “sexually assaulted the child, who was under the age of 16 but over the age of 13, on more than one occasion,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said in announcing the arrest. Detectives cha…
Civilians, Police Need Decon After Officer Dispenses Pepper Spray In Dispute At Bergen Lake Civilians, Police Need Decon After Officer Dispenses Pepper Spray In Dispute At Bergen Lake
Civilians, Police Need Decon After Officer Dispenses Pepper Spray In Dispute At Bergen Lake Nearly a dozen people had to be treated at a Bergen County lake after a sheriff's officer responding to a dispute dispensed pepper spray, authorities said. It began when one group of mostly juvenile lake-goers at Darlington County Park got into an argument that somehow involved another group. Because Darlington is a county park, Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton has officers stationed there during peak hours. His officers responded to the dispute and summoned Mahwah police. The incident on Saturday, July 15, began when one group of mostly juvenile lake-goers at Darlington County P…
Nearly A Dozen Need Decon After Officer Dispenses Pepper Spray In Dispute At Bergen Lake Nearly A Dozen Need Decon After Officer Dispenses Pepper Spray In Dispute At Bergen Lake
Nearly A Dozen Need Decon After Officer Dispenses Pepper Spray In Dispute At Bergen Lake Nearly a dozen people had to be treated at a Bergen County lake after a sheriff's officer responding to a dispute dispensed pepper spray, authorities said. It began when one group of mostly juvenile lake-goers at Darlington County Park got into an argument that somehow involved another group. Because Darlington is a county park, Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton has officers stationed there during peak hours. His officers responded to the dispute and summoned Mahwah police. At some point, an unidentified sheriff's officer fired a blast of pepper spray that injured several youngsters …
Money For Nothing? Bergen Detectives Bust NY State Duo With $155K Secret Stash Money For Nothing? Bergen Detectives Bust NY State Duo With $155K Secret Stash
Money For Nothing? Bergen Detectives Bust NY State Duo With $155K Secret Stash Two New York State men went to great lengths to stash $155,000 in cash that Bergen County prosecutor’s detectives sniffed out and seized, authorities said. Rochester residents Luis J. Hernandez-Perez, 23, and Jose A. Perez-Perez, 20, will have to prove there was nothing skanky about a “sophisticated, electronically operated hidden compartment” that Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said members of his Narcotic Task Force found during a traffic stop on Wednesday, May 17. Otherwise, they’ll not only face fines and criminal records – they’ll also lose the dough. Hernandez-Perez, who was d…
Worker Wrestles Gun From Gas Station Convenience Store Robber On Route 46 Worker Wrestles Gun From Gas Station Convenience Store Robber On Route 46
Worker Wrestles Gun From Gas Station Convenience Store Robber On Route 46 A robber seemed desperate as she pointed a handgun and demanded money from a convenience store worker on the graveyard shift at a Route 46 gas station in Elmwood Park. The steel-nerved worker wasn’t rattled, though. The gun had no magazine. Gambling that there wasn't a bullet chambered, he snatched the weapon from her hands, then shouted to a colleague outside to call police. A male accomplice then rushed in and punched him in the head, freeing his partner. Elmwood Park police nabbed the Paterson couple moments later, Police Chief Michael Foligno said. Krystina Tracey-Vaughan, 30,…
UPDATE: Fall Off Teaneck Home Leaves Roofer From Rockland, 18, Clinging To Life UPDATE: Fall Off Teaneck Home Leaves Roofer From Rockland, 18, Clinging To Life
Update: Fall Off Teaneck Home Leaves Roofer From Rockland, 18, Clinging To Life An 18-year-old roofer from Rockland remained in critical condition Tuesday after falling off a Teaneck home the night before. Responding Teaneck police officers found the victim unresponsive but breathing outside the Maple Street home behind Angelo’s Pizza on Queen Anne Road at 6:45 p.m. Monday, May 15, Police Chief Andrew McGurr said. The Spring Valley teen – whom responders identified as John Roldan -- had been doing roofing repair work with a contracting crew, McGurr said. He sustained severe head trauma and other injuries, the chief said. Members of the Teaneck Fire Department, the …
ICE Puts Hold On Inmate Charged With String Of Sex Assaults In Bergen, Hudson ICE Puts Hold On Inmate Charged With String Of Sex Assaults In Bergen, Hudson
ICE Puts Hold On Inmate Charged With String Of Sex Assaults In Bergen, Hudson An accused North Jersey serial sex offender isn't going anywhere now. ICE has placed a detainer on Fokam Ngongang Parfait, a former Montclair High School football star who's accused in a series of sexual assaults at hotels in Saddle Brook and Secaucus. The 25-year-old repeat offender has been held in the Bergen County Jail since his arrest by detectives from the county prosecutor's office on March 31. Parfait was initially charged with kidnapping, raping and robbing a victim at gunpoint in Saddle Brook on March 24. Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said investigators from his Special …
RCNJ Hosts Symposium On 'Power-Based' Dating Violence On Campus RCNJ Hosts Symposium On 'Power-Based' Dating Violence On Campus
Rcnj Hosts Symposium On 'Power-Based' Dating Violence On Campus The cold-blooded killings of four female college students in Idaho just months ago make a symposium next week at Ramapo College on stalking and dating violence on campus more than relevant. "Power-Based Violence: A Look into College Life" will delve into social media harassment, stalking behavior, sign recognition, resource disparities and barriers that prevent marginalized populations from coming forward to report such crimes. What violence prevention on campus looks like will also be discussed. New Milford Councilman Matthew Seymour will moderate the 5th annual Domestic Violence Awarenes…
Not Just For Police: Bergen Sheriff Gets Bodycams For Corrections Officers At County Lockup Not Just For Police: Bergen Sheriff Gets Bodycams For Corrections Officers At County Lockup
Not Just For Police: Bergen Sheriff Gets Bodycams For Corrections Officers At County Lockup Aiming to provide better protection – and accountability – for both inmates and staff at his jail, Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton has bought dozens of body cameras. Although there currently is no mandate from New Jersey's attorney general to equip county jails with the devices, Cureton said the 80 cameras for his corrections officers reflect a “growing trend” in law enforcement toward transparency. On one hand, the sheriff said, bodycams protect against bogus allegations of assault and/or improper conduct against the officers. At the same time, they protect inmates from unjust treat…
ICE Looks To Deport Stolen Car Passenger, 22, After Montvale Pursuit, Elmwood Park Crash ICE Looks To Deport Stolen Car Passenger, 22, After Montvale Pursuit, Elmwood Park Crash
ICE Looks To Deport Stolen Car Passenger, 22, After Montvale Pursuit, Elmwood Park Crash A stolen vehicle pursuit that began in Montvale ended in a crash and the arrests of two occupants at a Garden State Parkway exit ramp in Elmwood Park. Police began pursuing the Range Rover, which had been reported stolen out of Saddle River, on Chestnut Ridge Road around 5 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, Montvale Police Chief Doug McDowell said. The vehicle crashed at Exit 157 onto Route 46 off the southbound Parkway 15 or so minutes later. The driver, Raidis A. Santos Tejada, 19, of Newark was trapped in the car and taken at gunpoint, Elmwood Park Police Chief Michael Foligno said. The passen…
ICE Detains Ecuadorian National Charged With Assaulting Woman In Hackensack ICE Detains Ecuadorian National Charged With Assaulting Woman In Hackensack
ICE Detains Ecuadorian National Charged With Assaulting Woman In Hackensack ICE has placed a detainer on a jailed Ecuadorian national who was charged with beating and choking a woman, taking her phone and holding her against her will in Hackensack. Bryan Sinchi-Caldas, 26, was arrested on New Year's Day and charged with aggravated assault, robbery and false imprisonment, among other counts. "It was reported to police that during a dispute, the defendant struck the 38-year-old victim in the face, attempted to asphyxiate her, stole the victim’s phone and wouldn’t allow her to leave the location where this occurred," said Police Capt. Michael Antista, the officer in c…
Sheriff: Body Of Missing Mahwah Man Found Sheriff: Body Of Missing Mahwah Man Found
Sheriff: Body Of Missing Mahwah Man Found UPDATE (Saturday, Nov. 19): The search for a missing Mahwah man ended with the discovery of his body deep into one of the area's largest parks, Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton confirmed. A hiker discovered the body of Hector Zamorano, 41, off the yellow trail at the Ramapo Valley Reservation around noontime Saturday, Nov. 19, said the sheriff, whose department is handling the investigation. The area is roughly an hour's walk in from Ramapo Valley Road (Route 202) in Mahwah. Although no foul play was suspected, Cureton said members of his forensics team -- known as the Bureau of Crim…
SAD UPDATE: Missing Mahwah Man's Body Found SAD UPDATE: Missing Mahwah Man's Body Found
SAD Update: Missing Mahwah Man's Body Found UPDATE (Saturday, Nov. 19): The search for a missing Mahwah man ended with the discovery of his body deep into one of the area's largest parks, Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton confirmed. A hiker discovered the body of Hector Zamorano, 41, off the yellow trail at the Ramapo Valley Reservation around noontime Saturday, Nov. 19, said the sheriff, whose department is handling the investigation. The area is roughly an hour's walk in from Ramapo Valley Road (Route 202) in Mahwah. Although no foul play was suspected, Cureton said members of his forensics team -- known as the Bureau of Crim…
Saddle Brook Police Chief Eyes Reinstatement, Restitution After Judge Stops Funeral Escort Case Saddle Brook Police Chief Eyes Reinstatement, Restitution After Judge Stops Funeral Escort Case
Saddle Brook Police Chief Eyes Reinstatement, Restitution After Judge Stops Funeral Escort Case Suspended Saddle Brook Police Chief Robert Kugler is seeking reinstatement, and restitution, following a judge's ruling that he was wrongly being prosecuted for assigning police escorts to processions from his family-owned funeral home. And despite having waited 18 months for vindication, Kugler isn’t angry. “I’ve turned the page,” he told Daily Voice. “I’m moving forward and expect to proudly return to be chief of police once again and serve my community and the general public. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.” State authorities wrongly applied a borough ordinance meant to keep police …
SURPRISE! App Leads Bergen Sheriff's Officers Directly To Mercedes Thief At Mall In Paramus SURPRISE! App Leads Bergen Sheriff's Officers Directly To Mercedes Thief At Mall In Paramus
Surprise! App Leads Bergen Sheriff's Officers Directly To Mercedes Thief At Mall In Paramus A Hackensack repeat offender who swiped a Mercedes Benz apparently hadn't counted on technology to dime him out while he went shopping at a local mall with the victim's wallet, authorities said. The CLA owner, who’d misplaced his keys and fob at Bergen Community College, reported the vehicle stolen, then used a “Mercedes me connect” app feature to pinpoint its location – the Bergen Town Center mall in Paramus, county Sheriff Anthony Cureton said. Cureton’s officials found the sedan at the mall, then learned from a passerby that the driver had gone into the Target, the sheriff said. So the…
Domestic Violence In Bergen County: Live-Streamed Event Offers Survivors Resources, Services Domestic Violence In Bergen County: Live-Streamed Event Offers Survivors Resources, Services
Domestic Violence In Bergen County: Live-Streamed Event Offers Survivors Resources, Services A unique and distinguished group of panelists from Bergen County will participate in a live -- and live-streamed -- discussion about available services and resources for victims of domestic violence. "Residents have reached out for help because they feel trapped and isolated," said New Milford Councilman Matthew Seymour, who organized and will moderate the 4th annual Domestic Violence Awareness Symposium this coming Tuesday, Oct. 25. The round-table discussion at New Milford High School -- which will also be live-streamed -- will "bring together experts with the goal of providing a compreh…
ICE Detains Laborer Charged With Sexually Abusing Bergenfield Pre-Teen ICE Detains Laborer Charged With Sexually Abusing Bergenfield Pre-Teen
ICE Detains Laborer Charged With Sexually Abusing Bergenfield Pre-Teen ICE has placed a detainer on a jailed Colombian national who was charged earlier this week with sexually abusing a pre-teen in Bergenfield. Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said Bergenfield police notified members of his Special Victims Unit of the allegations against Julian Rojo, 30, on Monday, Sept. 19. Both agencies investigated and arrested him that same day, the prosecutor said. Rojo, who lives in town and works as a laborer, was charged with three separate counts of sexual assault by contact and one of child endangerment through sexual conduct with a child less than 13 years old…
Graduation Is First-Degree Achievement For Bergen Jail Inmates Graduation Is First-Degree Achievement For Bergen Jail Inmates
Graduation Is First-Degree Achievement For Bergen Jail Inmates Doing his part to fight recidivism, Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton staged an unprecedented graduation ceremony, complete with caps and gowns, for inmates who earned a high school diploma while behind bars. Their families hooked in via Zoom to watch the first-of-its-kind commencement, made possible through a partnership between Cureton’s office and Bergen Community College’s Continuing Education Department. The sheriff has committed himself and his department to providing access to quality education for students of varying educational and socio-economic backgrounds as a way of hopefu…
Sheriff Cureton: Enrollment Open For Bergen Citizens Police Academy Sheriff Cureton: Enrollment Open For Bergen Citizens Police Academy
Sheriff Cureton: Enrollment Open For Bergen Citizens Police Academy Enrollment is open for the 27th class of the Bergen County Citizen’s Police Academy, a 10-week course designed to give residents a working knowledge of law enforcement policies and tactics, Sheriff Anthony Cureton said. Bergen County residents 18 and older are eligible to participate, the sheriff said Wednesday, Sept. 14. “One of the most important components of law enforcement is fostering strong relationships with the community,” Cureton said. “Our Citizen’s Police Academy gives residents first-hand knowledge of the important work police do to enhance public safety and protect Bergen Co…
TERRIFYING MOMENT: Woman Grabbed At Knifepoint On Hackensack Street Fights Off Kidnapper TERRIFYING MOMENT: Woman Grabbed At Knifepoint On Hackensack Street Fights Off Kidnapper
Terrifying Moment: Woman Grabbed At Knifepoint On Hackensack Street Fights Off Kidnapper A 20-year-old Guatemalan national was charged with kidnapping and robbery, among other offenses, after authorities said he abducted an older woman at knifepoint on the street and tried to drag her to his Hackensack home. ICE issued a detainer on Esen Sarabe, who remained held in the Bergen County Jail. Sarabe fled with the 52-year-old victim's phone and bag after a good Samaritan came running during the attack at Passaic and 1st streets around 3 p.m. Monday, city police Detective Capt. Michael Antista said. Police captured him a short time later and recovered the victim's valuables and the…
Suspicious Powder At Bergen County Board Of Elections Brings Hazmat Team Suspicious Powder At Bergen County Board Of Elections Brings Hazmat Team
Suspicious Powder At Bergen County Board Of Elections Brings Hazmat Team A suspicious powder on an envelope sent to the Bergen County Superintendent of Elections Office brought a hazmat team to the county administration building in Hackensack on Wednesday. One person was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center and was released after being evaluated, responders said. A county Hazardous Materials Unit tested the substance and determined it wasn't harmful, Bergen County Director of Communications Derek Sands said. It turned out to be powder from a fire extinguisher, Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton said, adding that there wasn't any "criminal nexus" th…
Bergen Prosecutor: Expect To See Tactical Units Guarding Houses Of Worship, Schools This Summer Bergen Prosecutor: Expect To See Tactical Units Guarding Houses Of Worship, Schools This Summer
Bergen Prosecutor: Expect To See Tactical Units Guarding Houses Of Worship, Schools This Summer Citizens can expect to see highly-trained officers with helmets and high-powered weapons protecting houses of worship in Bergen County throughout the summer, the county’s top law enforcers said Wednesday. Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella and Chief of Detectives Chief Jason Love jointly announced a plan to enhance security at locations where people worship throughout the county “in response to increasing acts of domestic terrorism across the country.” Musella said police departments and other law enforcement agencies in the county are increasing patrols – and overall presence – at all s…
ICE Puts Hold On MS-13 Member Captured After Escaping NJ Police Station In Handcuffs ICE Puts Hold On MS-13 Member Captured After Escaping NJ Police Station In Handcuffs
ICE Puts Hold On MS-13 Member Captured After Escaping NJ Police Station In Handcuffs Many figured New Jersey's bail reform law would free a purported MS-13 gang member who escaped from a local police station before being captured in Rhode Island. Before that could happen, however, federal immigration authorities issued a detainer on Adilson Estrada-Garcia, a 24-year-old Guatemalan national living in Cliffside Park. Estrada-Garcia was brought to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack on Thursday. Before he even saw a judge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the detainer. Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton has honored detainer requests for defendants who've be…
UPDATE: Detox Patient Released From Bergen Hospital Steals Ambulance, Caught By NJ State Police UPDATE: Detox Patient Released From Bergen Hospital Steals Ambulance, Caught By NJ State Police
Update: Detox Patient Released From Bergen Hospital Steals Ambulance, Caught By NJ State Police A man just released from a detox program was captured by state troopers on the Garden State Parkway after he stole an ambulance from outside Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus early Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. Daniel Grant Wyres, 37, of Marlton got into the unattended ambulance and drove off from the East Ridgewood Avenue facility at 12:50 p.m., Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton said. The ambulance company was notified and began tracking the rig, he said. The ambulance was stopped less than 15 minutes later on the Garden State Parkway near Exit 157 in Elmwood Park,…
Former Bergen County Election Worker Accused Of Pre-Teen Sex Assaults Dies From Suicide Former Bergen County Election Worker Accused Of Pre-Teen Sex Assaults Dies From Suicide
Former Bergen County Election Worker Accused Of Pre-Teen Sex Assaults Dies From Suicide A former assistant Bergen County voting machine custodian from Wallington who was accused of sexually assaulting two pre-teens has died by suicide, multiple sources confirmed Saturday. Daryl Mahoney, 51, survived a previous attempt at the county jail following his arrest in March. This time, as before, it was by hanging, authorities confirmed. Mahoney was rushed from the jail on South River Street to nearby Hackensack University Medical Center shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday, multiple sources said. He remained in critical condition before being pronounced dead late Friday, they said. …
Authorities ID Motorcyclist Killed In Route 4 Crash With Deer Authorities ID Motorcyclist Killed In Route 4 Crash With Deer
Authorities ID Motorcyclist Killed In Route 4 Crash With Deer Authorities on Wednesday released the identity of the motorcyclist killed in Monday's Route 4 crash in Teaneck. Albert Spechar, of River Vale, struck a deer while heading east at Teaneck Road just before 5:45 a.m., Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. No other vehicles were involved in the accident and no criminal charges were brought, Musella said. An investigation was conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit under the direction of Chief Jason Love and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office under…
Motorcyclist Killed In Route 4 Crash With Deer Motorcyclist Killed In Route 4 Crash With Deer
Motorcyclist Killed In Route 4 Crash With Deer A motorcyclist from River Vale was killed when he struck a deer on Route 4 in Teaneck before dawn Monday. Albert Spechar, 58, was ejected and landed in the middle of the roadway of the eastbound highway after hitting a four-point buck shortly after 5:30 a.m., responders said. Spechar was later pronounced dead at the scene just past the Margaret Street overpass near Teaneck High School, they said. The motorcycle landed on its side near a bus shelter further on up the road. The eastbound highway remained closed through the morning rush, with backups through Paramus, as the Bergen County Pr…