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James DePreta

Homeless Intruder Mops Floors Naked In Private NJ School: Police Homeless Intruder Mops Floors Naked In Private NJ School: Police
Homeless Intruder Mops Floors Naked In Private NJ School: Police A homeless man with a criminal history was recorded on video entering a private school in Rochelle Park at night, stripping and then mopping the floors naked, authorities said. Chayson Ortiz, 30, is accused of trespassing at the Sage Day School both on Christmas Eve and Christmas. Ortiz "proceeded to de-robe and began cleaning and mopping the hallway floors while naked," Rochelle Park Police Capt. James DePreta said. He also rummaged through lost and found boxes, took a break in a teacher's lounge and washed his clothes in the mop bucket, the captain said. Detectives Sgt. Jared Shatkin qu…
HELP WANTED: New School Resource Officer Sought In Rochelle Park HELP WANTED: New School Resource Officer Sought In Rochelle Park
Help Wanted: New School Resource Officer Sought In Rochelle Park Rochelle Park police are seeking a retired law enforcement officer to work in one of the township's schools. The recent promotion of Sgt. Chris Bermudez to lieutenant created the opening at the K-8 Midland School No. 1, Detective Capt. James DePreta said. The Special Law Enforcement Officer III would be paid $35 an hour for a part-time 40-hour workweek whenever school is officially in session, the captain said. The scheduled start time is early this September for the 2023-24 school year, he said. "Under the supervision of the chief of police and/or the chief's designee, the individual wor…
NY Rapper In YouTube Video Seized After Assaulting NJ Shop Rite Worker, Harassing Customers NY Rapper In YouTube Video Seized After Assaulting NJ Shop Rite Worker, Harassing Customers
NY Rapper In YouTube Video Seized After Assaulting NJ Shop Rite Worker, Harassing Customers One way to pretty much guarantee you'll be arrested is to record a crime and post it on YouTube -- in high def, no less. Just ask drill music rapper Nas Ebk. Nasir Valenzuela, who has produced prank videos that push the limits of legality, joined two accomplices in harassing and intimidating customers and employees at the ShopRite in Rochelle Park while recording it. Some of their targets laughed it off. At least one seemed intimidated. Others simply ignored them. One worker, in particular, wasn't having it, though. The video shows Valenzuela, 19, of the Bronx, snatching the stock cler…
REEL STORY: Ex-Con Nabbed With Gun Fished From Lake: Rochelle Park PD REEL STORY: Ex-Con Nabbed With Gun Fished From Lake: Rochelle Park PD
Reel Story: Ex-Con Nabbed With Gun Fished From Lake: Rochelle Park PD A Newark ex-con was carrying a gun that he'd apparently fished out of a lake when a Rochelle Park police officer pulled him over Sunday morning, authorities said. Officer Chris Kiszka called for a Bergen County Sheriff's K-9 Unit after stopping Lamont House, 31, for multiple motor vehicle violations on West Passaic around 10:30 a.m. Feb. 19, Lt. James DePreta said. A positive indication prompted a search that turned up a Hi-Point Arms .380-caliber handgun in the trunk, the lieutenant said. House was charged with various weapons offenses, including having a firearm in his possession as a co…
Traffic Stop Turns Up Loaded Gun In Passenger's Pocket, Rochelle Park PD Says Traffic Stop Turns Up Loaded Gun In Passenger's Pocket, Rochelle Park PD Says
Traffic Stop Turns Up Loaded Gun In Passenger's Pocket, Rochelle Park PD Says A passenger wanted on a warrant was carrying a loaded gun in his pocket when an Rochelle Park police officer stopped the sedan he was in, authorities said. Officer Chris Kiszka stopped the 2004 Toyota Solara driven by Raymond Hood, 30, of Palmerton, PA for several violations on West Passaic Street around 9 p.m. Friday, Rochelle Park Police Lt. James DePreta said. A computer check turned up the warrant out of Newark, so Hood was taken into custody, DePreta said. Kiszka, Officer Jorge Orihuela and Detective Brian Cobb police then found the .25-caliber Colt in Hood's front pocket, the lieuten…
SMH: Dispatcher Catches Thief Stealing Gear From Bergen Flood Rescue Boat SMH: Dispatcher Catches Thief Stealing Gear From Bergen Flood Rescue Boat
SMH: Dispatcher Catches Thief Stealing Gear From Bergen Flood Rescue Boat How low can someone go? Rochelle Park firefighters found out when a Clifton man tried to snatch police life jackets and safety ropes from their rescue boat Thursday night, authorities said. The rescuers had left the boat on West Passaic Street, just beyond the floodwaters, after saving several victims and shuttling police to headquarters flooded by Tropical Storm Ida. Dispatcher Mike Colombini rushed out and kept Omar Omar, 49, from leaving before officers arrived around 7 p.m., Police Lt. James DePreta said. Omar was arrested, charged with theft and released pending a court hearing. Poli…
Rochelle Park Officer Finds Couple With Loaded Gun During Traffic Stop Rochelle Park Officer Finds Couple With Loaded Gun During Traffic Stop
Rochelle Park Officer Finds Couple With Loaded Gun During Traffic Stop A Rochelle Park police officer found a couple carrying a loaded gun during a traffic stop Tuesday, authorities said. Officer Franklin Laboy pulled over a Nissan Sentra with tinted windows on West Passaic Street and found the 9mm SCCY CPX hangun under the front passenger seat, Lt. James DePreta said. Laboy summoned backup and arrested the driver, Jamal Mattiex of Paterson, and Monasia Coleman, of Rembert, SC, both 18. Each was charged with weapons offenses and sent to the Bergen County Jail to await first appearances in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack. Assisting were Sgt.…
Rochelle Park PD: Newark Man Who Paid For Sex With Underage Girl Gets Beaten, Robbed, Arrested Rochelle Park PD: Newark Man Who Paid For Sex With Underage Girl Gets Beaten, Robbed, Arrested
Rochelle Park PD: Newark Man Who Paid For Sex With Underage Girl Gets Beaten, Robbed, Arrested A Newark man who paid for sex with an underage girl got mugged instead, said Rochelle Park police who took four people into custody -- including him. An injured Samati Kokou, 36, came running into Fire Department headquarters Saturday night seeking help, Lt. James DePreta said. He had driven to Central Avenue, he said, where he gave a 16-year-old girl cash in exchange for what he expected would be sex, the lieutenant said. Instead, two robbers popped up and beat him. Kokou ran to the Lotz Lane firehouse with injuries to his face, arms and hand, DePreta said. Meanwhile, the robbers ransa…
GRANDPARENT SCAM: Elderly NJ Victim Loses $7,800, Arrest Made GRANDPARENT SCAM: Elderly NJ Victim Loses $7,800, Arrest Made
Grandparent Scam: Elderly NJ Victim Loses $7,800, Arrest Made Rochelle Park police nabbed a phone scammer from the Bronx who convinced an elderly victim to mail $7,800 in cash that he said was needed to bail out his just-arrested grandson, authorities said. Posing as a police officer, a caller told the 80-something Washington State resident that his grandson had been arrested, Detective Lt. James DePreta said. The caller said his son needed $16,800 for bail, then directed him to mail $7,800 to a Rochelle Park address, DePreta said. Believing it was real, the victim sent the money, the lieutenant said. He eventually realized it was a scam and called…
Snow Outside And In: Two Busted After Route 17 Stop Of Covered Car Turns Up Cocaine Snow Outside And In: Two Busted After Route 17 Stop Of Covered Car Turns Up Cocaine
Snow Outside And In: Two Busted After Route 17 Stop Of Covered Car Turns Up Cocaine Nearly five ounces of cocaine were seized and two Hackensack residents busted after a Rochelle Park police officer stopped a car on Route 17 that was almost entirely covered in snow, authorities said. Michelle McCracken, 28, didn’t immediately pull over “due to her inability to see through the rear of her vehicle” when Officer Chris Kiszka tried to stop the white Honda Accord on the northbound highway around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Lt. James DePreta said. “The vehicle was covered in snow, including the rear window, which provided zero visibility to the occupants,” DePreta said. Smelling marijuan…
Rochelle Park PD: Englewood Passenger Caught Carrying Loaded Gun Bought In Paterson Rochelle Park PD: Englewood Passenger Caught Carrying Loaded Gun Bought In Paterson
Rochelle Park PD: Englewood Passenger Caught Carrying Loaded Gun Bought In Paterson A Rochelle Park police officer early Saturday found an Englewood passenger in a traffic stop carrying a loaded gun bought on the streets of Paterson, authorities said. Acting Sgt. Jared Shatkin stopped a vehicle on Route 17 and searched it after smelling pot, Detective Lt. James DePreta said. Shatkin found a .380-caliber handgun, along with some marijuana and drug paraphernalia, DePreta said. The passenger, Tremaine Whiteside, 22, was charged with weapons and drug offenses and sent to the Bergen County Jail to await a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack. Th…
Rochelle Park PD Rescues NY Con Man Kidnapped By Pair Who Lost $20,000 In ‘Black Money’ Scam Rochelle Park PD Rescues NY Con Man Kidnapped By Pair Who Lost $20,000 In ‘Black Money’ Scam
Rochelle Park PD Rescues NY Con Man Kidnapped By Pair Who Lost $20,000 In ‘Black Money’ Scam A Rochelle Park police officer rescued a man who was kidnapped from a local motel by two Passaic County men after an accomplice fled with their money in a scam gone wrong, authorities said. Amady Kourouma, 31, of New York and a partner convinced the two Passaic County men that they could earn $60,000 by purchasing “dirty” money from them that had been dyed to avoid detection by authorities, Detective Lt. James DePreta said. “Black money washing” is a popular scam. Victims are less likely to report it given their participation in an apparent crime, authorities say. In this case, Jairo Mende…