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Bergen County Superior Court

31,100+ Prepubescent Child Porn Items Found On 23-Year-Old Bergen County Man: Prosecutor 31,100+ Prepubescent Child Porn Items Found On 23-Year-Old Bergen County Man: Prosecutor
31,100+ Prepubescent Child Porn Items Found On 23-Year-Old Bergen County Man: Prosecutor A 23-year-old Bergen County man was arrested after authorities found him with more than 31,100 child pornography items. Benjamin P. Ritter, of Washington Township, became the center of an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit in mid-September, Prosecutor Mark Musella said. The investigation, which involved a court-authorized search of Ritter's electronic device, revealed that he viewed, saved, downloaded, and/or possessed 31,110 items depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children, the prosecutor said. Ritter was arrested on M…
Lawsuit: Hunters' False Report Triggered Harrowing Swatting Incident At Mahwah Man's Home Lawsuit: Hunters' False Report Triggered Harrowing Swatting Incident At Mahwah Man's Home
Lawsuit: Hunters' False Report Triggered Harrowing Swatting Incident At Mahwah Man's Home A Mahwah resident has filed a civil lawsuit claiming that a false police report led to a SWAT response at his home, causing severe emotional distress and placing his family in harm’s way. The complaint, filed by Christopher Toskos, alleges that on Nov. 12, 2022, hunters falsely told Mahwah police that he was armed and had fired a weapon in a wooded area behind fire company 3. The area is authorized for bow hunting, the lawsuit notes. According to the complaint, the defendants claimed Toskos was dressed in a "ghillie suit," a type of camouflage, and alleged he fired a .22 caliber firearm in …
Wayne Woman, 72, Made Bomb Threat That Locked Down Holy Name Medical Center: Prosecutor Wayne Woman, 72, Made Bomb Threat That Locked Down Holy Name Medical Center: Prosecutor
Wayne Woman, 72, Made Bomb Threat That Locked Down Holy Name Medical Center: Prosecutor A 72-year-old woman has been charged with calling in a bomb threat to Holy Name Medical in August, authorities said. Adele Ulrich, of Wayne, called the hospital on Aug. 17 saying that several bombs were going to detonate in the hospital, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said following a months-long investigation. The hospital was placed on divert, and a shelter-in-place order was implemented, bringing police officers, firefighters, and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad to the scene. Ultimately, first responders determined that the call was a hoax, and no act…
Child Sex Assault Charges For NY Man Just Accused Of Kidnapping In Bergen County: Prosecutor Child Sex Assault Charges For NY Man Just Accused Of Kidnapping In Bergen County: Prosecutor
Child Sex Assault Charges For NY Man Just Accused Of Kidnapping In Bergen County: Prosecutor A 37-year-old Queens man already charged with kidnapping and sexual assault a victim in Englewood is facing new charges of sexually assaulting a child, authorities said. Miguel A. Chimbo-Orellana first kidnapped and sexually assaulted the adult victim in Englewood, in August 2024, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Chimbo-Orellana later kidnapped and sexually assaulted the victim multiple times in Englewood and Queens, NY on multiple occasions, and threatened to kill the victim, Musella said. On Monday, Oct. 21, Chimbo-Orellana was charged with kidnapping, sexual assault …
NY Man Kidnapped, Sexually Assaulted, Threatened To Kill Victim In Bergen County: Prosecutor NY Man Kidnapped, Sexually Assaulted, Threatened To Kill Victim In Bergen County: Prosecutor
NY Man Kidnapped, Sexually Assaulted, Threatened To Kill Victim In Bergen County: Prosecutor A 37-year-old Queens, NY man has been arrested on accusations he kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and threatened to kill an adult in Bergen County. Miguel A. Chimbo-Orellana first kidnapped and sexually assaulted the adult victim in Englewood, in August 2024, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. An investigation found that he kidnapped and sexually assaulted the victim multiple times in Englewood and Queens, NY on multiple occasions, and threatened to kill the victim. On Monday, Oct. 21, Chimbo-Orellana was charged with first-degree kidnapping, second-degree sexual assault, secon…
Bergen County Man, 22, Arrested On Child Porn Charges: Prosecutor Bergen County Man, 22, Arrested On Child Porn Charges: Prosecutor
Bergen County Man, 22, Arrested On Child Porn Charges: Prosecutor A 22-year-old River Edge man was arrested and charged with distributing and possessing child pornography on Friday, Oct. 18, authorities said. A search warrant was executed at the home of Andrew Baker as part of an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.  The investigation revealed Baker used the Internet to view, download, possess, distribute, and share items depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children, Musella said. Baker was charged with distributing and possessing chi…
Bergen County Carjacker Attacks 3 PAPD Officers On GWB With Knife: Prosecutor Bergen County Carjacker Attacks 3 PAPD Officers On GWB With Knife: Prosecutor
Bergen County Carjacker Attacks 3 Papd Officers On GWB With Knife: Prosecutor More charges have been filed against a 42-year-old Bronx, NY man accused of carjacking a vehicle after crashing a stolen car in Bergen County then attacking a police officer on the George Washington Bridge last weekend, authorities said. Uvaldo Gonzalez, 42, has been charged with first-degree armed robbery, first-degree carjacking, third-degree receiving a stolen motor vehicle, third-degree theft of a motor vehicle, and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose on Friday, Oct. 18, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Those charges were filed in connection with the i…
Prepubescent Child Porn Found On Bergen County Teen's Devices: Prosecutor Prepubescent Child Porn Found On Bergen County Teen's Devices: Prosecutor
Prepubescent Child Porn Found On Bergen County Teen's Devices: Prosecutor An 18-year-old Lodi resident was arrested and charged on Tuesday, Oct. 15, with possessing child pornography, authorities said. The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Cyber Crimes Unit searched Matthew Chinchilla's residence and found he used the internet to view, download, possess and distribute nude items featuring nude and/or sexually explicit children, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Chinchilla was charged with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography, Musella said. He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Bergen Cou…
Mugshot Released, Services Set For Popular Cook After Deadly Bergen County Hit-Run Mugshot Released, Services Set For Popular Cook After Deadly Bergen County Hit-Run
Mugshot Released, Services Set For Popular Cook After Deadly Bergen County Hit-Run The mugshot of the 29-year-old Kearny charged in the deadly hit-and-run that killed a cook at a popular Route 17 restaurant last week in Lyndhurst has been released. Steven G. Novillo-Cabrera was behind the wheel of a 2020 Honda Civic when he struck George Arnold, 57, as he was trying to cross Ridge Road at Milton Avenue around 9:50 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Novillo-Cabrera also tried to repair the vehicle to hide his involvement in the crash, police said. He was lodged in the Bergen County Jail pending an appearance in Bergen County Superior C…
Arrest Made In Hit-Run Crash That Killed Cook In Lyndhurst: Prosecutor Arrest Made In Hit-Run Crash That Killed Cook In Lyndhurst: Prosecutor
Arrest Made In Hit-Run Crash That Killed Cook In Lyndhurst: Prosecutor A 29-year-old Kearny man has been charged in the deadly hit-and-run that killed a cook at a popular Route 17 restaurant this week in Lyndhurst, authorities said. Steven G. Novillo-Cabrera was behind the wheel of a 2020 Honda Civic when he struck George Arnold, 57, as he was trying to cross Ridge Road at Milton Avenue around 9:50 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Novillo-Cabrera also tried to repair the vehicle to hide his involvement in the crash, police said. He was lodged in the Bergen County Jail pending an appearance in Bergen County Superior Court…
Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Child Under 16 Multiple Times In Bergen County: Prosecutor Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Child Under 16 Multiple Times In Bergen County: Prosecutor
Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Child Under 16 Multiple Times In Bergen County: Prosecutor A 19-year-old Bergen County man has been arrested on accusations he sexually assaulted a juvenile, authorities said. Juan Flores-Mejia sexually assaulted the child, who was under 16 years old, multiple times in Bogota, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Flores-Mejia was arrested following an investigation by the county prosecutor's office on Oct. 4 and charged with four counts of second-degree sexual assault and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensa…
Wyckoff Man Tricked 8 Victims Into Investing In Property For 'Redevelopment,' Prosecutor Says Wyckoff Man Tricked 8 Victims Into Investing In Property For 'Redevelopment,' Prosecutor Says
Wyckoff Man Tricked 8 Victims Into Investing In Property For 'Redevelopment,' Prosecutor Says A Bergen County man is facing charges after authorities say he tricked eight victims into paying thousands of dollars for Newark investment properties, which authorities said had not actually been designated for redevelopment. An investigation was launched into Jason S. McNeill, 48, of Wyckoff, last April, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musell said.  McNeill allegedly presented the eight victims with forged documents and solicited approximately $420,000 in total from them. McNeill told the victims that the money would go toward the purchase of investment properties, namely vacant lots f…
Getaway Driver, Armed Robber Who Shot At Victims On Routes 17, 80 Arrested: Cops Getaway Driver, Armed Robber Who Shot At Victims On Routes 17, 80 Arrested: Cops
Getaway Driver, Armed Robber Who Shot At Victims On Routes 17, 80 Arrested: Cops Two men have been arrested in a shooting robbery in which the assailants fled the scene in a Route 17 parking lot parking lot onto Route 80, where one fired shots at the victim's vehicle following them authorities said. Shaheem A. Clark, 19, of Elmwood Park, has been identified as the gunman, while Jaquil M. Brown, 29, of Paterson,  was the getaway driver in the Sunday, July 21 incident that happened around 11:25 p.m., Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. According to Musella, a group of friends had left a business on Route 17 in Lodi and got into a vehicle when a man on fo…
Unlicensed Belleville Man Busted On Stolen Moped In Lyndhurst: Police Unlicensed Belleville Man Busted On Stolen Moped In Lyndhurst: Police
Unlicensed Belleville Man Busted On Stolen Moped In Lyndhurst: Police A 48-year-old Belleville man was arrested in Lyndhurst after police caught him on a stolen moped without a license. Lyndhurst Officer Anthony Morreale was on patrol near Riverside Avenue and Valley Brook Avenue when he saw a moped cruising south on Riverside Avenue without a license plate on Monday, Aug. 26, Lyndhurst Police Detective Lt. Vincent Auteri said.  Morreale proceeded to follow the moped before executing a traffic stop. When Morreale asked for the proper credentials, the operator, identified as Leonardo Herrada Torrecilla, said to him that he did not have a driver’s license …
Wyckoff Town Facing Lawsuit From Victim Alleging Abuse By Former Athletic Director Wyckoff Town Facing Lawsuit From Victim Alleging Abuse By Former Athletic Director
Wyckoff Town Facing Lawsuit From Victim Alleging Abuse By Former Athletic Director A newly filed lawsuit by a California man accuses one Bergen County town's athletic director of sexual abuse decades ago. The plaintiff was a minor and had been volunteering in Wyckoff's park and recreation department when Leonard Loran sexually assaulted him between 1980 and 1982, according to the suit filed on Aug. 22 in Bergen County Superior Court. Loran allegedly abused the boy during sponsored township activities: "Loran would use his position as to get Plaintiff alone with him so he could sexually abuse him," the suit says. The abuse happened on properties that were owned, operated o…
Greedy Employee Manipulates Payroll To Steal $1.2M From Bergen County Company, Prosecutor Says Greedy Employee Manipulates Payroll To Steal $1.2M From Bergen County Company, Prosecutor Says
Greedy Employee Manipulates Payroll To Steal $1.2M From Bergen County Company, Prosecutor Says A Somerset County man is facing theft charges after manipulating his employer's payroll and employee reimbursement systems to steal $1.2 million over the course of several years, authorities in Bergen County said. Sang Park, 44, of Belle Mead used various internal payroll and expense systems to steal the $1.2 million from a Ridgefield Park company between 2018 and 2022, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. The alleged thefts came to light in December 2023, when they were reported to Ridgefield Park police, who notified the prosecutor's office's financial crimes unit, Musella sai…
Ex-BF Swindled Bergen County Realtor Out Of $71K: Lawsuit Ex-BF Swindled Bergen County Realtor Out Of $71K: Lawsuit
Ex-BF Swindled Bergen County Realtor Out Of $71K: Lawsuit Christina LaBarbiera remembers watching the hit Netflix show "Tinder Swindler" and thinking what happened to those women could never happen to her. Until it did, she says. The show follows a group of women who say they met a man on the popular dating app Tinder, who swindled them out of millions of dollars collectively. And they want justice. LaBarbiera, a 35-year-old realtor with Christie's International from Bergen County, says her story isn't all that different.  UPDATE: Robert Harris was lodged in the Bergen County Jail on Monday, March 18, records show. Last November, she …
Judge Dismisses Child Sex Charges Against 'Chopped' Kosher Chef From Teaneck Judge Dismisses Child Sex Charges Against 'Chopped' Kosher Chef From Teaneck
Judge Dismisses Child Sex Charges Against 'Chopped' Kosher Chef From Teaneck A judge in Hackensack dismissed child sex assault charges against a kosher chef from Teaneck who appeared on the Food Network show "Chopped.” Shalom Yehudiel, 41, had his rights violated by the FBI when federal authorities failed to surrender a video tied directly to the case, Bergen County Superior Court Judge Christopher Kazlau ruled on Monday, Aug. 7. The judge dismissed the charges without prejudice, which allows prosecutors to reinstate the case if any new evidence comes to light. Yehudiel had owned and operated The Humble Toast, a kosher eatery on Queen Anne Road, for several years …
UPDATE: Fleeing Teen Driver Tries To Ram Police During Multi-Town Northwest Bergen Pursuit UPDATE: Fleeing Teen Driver Tries To Ram Police During Multi-Town Northwest Bergen Pursuit
Update: Fleeing Teen Driver Tries To Ram Police During Multi-Town Northwest Bergen Pursuit UPDATE: A fleeing teen driver tried to ram a Mahwah police vehicle during a wild early-morning chase Wednesday through several towns that became the fourth area police pursuit in just 12 hours. It all began in Franklin Lakes with a report of thieves trying to enter vehicles parked in the area of Greenridge Road and Old Mill Road around 6 a.m. May 3, Police Capt. Mark McCombs said. Officers spotted the suspects, who hopped into a pair of vehicles and sped off in different directions, the captain said. One was a red 2022 KIA SPO that had been reported stolen out of Paramus, McCombs said. T…
Alpine Country Club Worker Harassed For Months By Manager, Lawsuit Says Alpine Country Club Worker Harassed For Months By Manager, Lawsuit Says
Alpine Country Club Worker Harassed For Months By Manager, Lawsuit Says A former Alpine Country Club says she was forced to resign after the Human Resources department failed to protect her from one of the managers harassing her, she says in a newly-filed lawsuit. The lawsuit filed in Bergen County Superior Court claims that Makayla Spruill, 20, of Paramus, was groped multiple times by the country club's food and drink manager, Hannibal Campa. It also alleges that Campa joked about Spruill's body type and weight, and joked about her race, saying he would fire her if he wasn't afraid she'd "use the Black card' against him. The suit goes on to say that the count…
Organized Crew Nabbed After Snatching $12G Worth Of Winter Clothing From Ski Barn: Paramus PD Organized Crew Nabbed After Snatching $12G Worth Of Winter Clothing From Ski Barn: Paramus PD
Organized Crew Nabbed After Snatching $12G Worth Of Winter Clothing From Ski Barn: Paramus PD A trio of high-end shoplifters who swiped nearly $18,000 worth of jackets and parkas from a Paramus Ski Barn earlier this month were captured after hitting the same store exactly a week later, authorities said. Shoppers and motorists were among those who looked on as the members of the shoplifting crew bolted from the Route 17 store with $12,000 worth of winter clothing around noon on Thanksgiving Eve, Paramus Deputy Police Chief Robert Guidetti said. Fortunately, a Ski Barn employee had recognized the organized "Loyal" crew members from the week before and already called police. Officer J…
Bergen Judge Turned Fox Analyst Forced Hackensack Defendant Into Oral Sex, Lawsuit Claims Bergen Judge Turned Fox Analyst Forced Hackensack Defendant Into Oral Sex, Lawsuit Claims
Bergen Judge Turned Fox Analyst Forced Hackensack Defendant Into Oral Sex, Lawsuit Claims Former Bergen County Superior Court Judge Andrew Napolitano forced an accused arsonist into oral sex at his then-Hackensack home to avoid a prison sentence, a blockbuster lawsuit filed Friday against the FOX News analyst alleges. Charles Corbishley claims in a $10 million federal suit that a crooked defense lawyer sent him to the longtime Fox News analyst’s house, ostensibly to shovel snow, while a case against him was still pending in the late 1980s. Corbishely, who’d only just turned 20, had been charged in 1987 with starting an arson fire with another man behind a Hackensack apartment bu…
LAWSUIT: Travel Agency Refused $55K Refund After Bergen County School Trip Cancelled LAWSUIT: Travel Agency Refused $55K Refund After Bergen County School Trip Cancelled
Lawsuit: Travel Agency Refused $55K Refund After Bergen County School Trip Cancelled A Bergen County school board has filed a lawsuit against a Pennsylvania travel agency that reportedly owes students and parents $55,000 in refunds after the cancellation of a field trip due to COVID-19, reports say. The Demarest School Board worked with Allentown, PA's Curriculum Travels of America to plan an eighth grade field trip to Washington D.C., last September, NJ.com reports. The trip was for May 19 to May 21, and included a visit to the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the Smithsonian and more, according to the suit filed in Bergen County Superior Court on June 30. The trip cost $68…
LAWSUIT: Bergen Tech Counselor Fired For Reporting Co-Worker Who Wanted To Bring Gun To School LAWSUIT: Bergen Tech Counselor Fired For Reporting Co-Worker Who Wanted To Bring Gun To School
Lawsuit: Bergen Tech Counselor Fired For Reporting Co-Worker Who Wanted To Bring Gun To School A former counselor at Bergen County Technical Schools has filed a lawsuit claiming she was fired after reporting a colleague who wanted to bring a gun to the school’s office, according to a report by NJ.com. Dumont resident Laura Martin was working as a career counselor for special needs students at the school’s “One Stop Career Center” in Hackensack when her newly-hired coworker said she wanted to carry a weapon, court papers said. The suit, filed in Bergen County Superior Court last month, claims the coworker “had asked Human Resources if she could bring a gun to work because of the type …
Fort Lee Woman Raped By Newark Uber Driver, Suit Says Fort Lee Woman Raped By Newark Uber Driver, Suit Says
Fort Lee Woman Raped By Newark Uber Driver, Suit Says A Fort Lee woman is claiming in a civil suit that she was raped by her Uber driver two years ago in Edgewater. The suit was filed by Attorneys Paul Faugno and John Daniels on the victim's behalf, on Dec. 12 in Bergen County Superior Court, NorthJersey.com reports. Uber and a Newark driver are listed as the defendants. The victim is seeking unspecified damages, the lawsuit says. Uber driver Victor Suvakeenpillaj was taking the woman from her home in Fort Lee to her previous residence in Edgewater on Dec. 19, 2017, the suit says. When she bent down to pick up a bag, the driver got out, open…
LAWSUIT: Bergenfield Man Wants $5M From Family Fun Day Mechanical Bull Injury LAWSUIT: Bergenfield Man Wants $5M From Family Fun Day Mechanical Bull Injury
Lawsuit: Bergenfield Man Wants $5M From Family Fun Day Mechanical Bull Injury A Bergenfield man who says he was injured while riding a mechanical bull at a local annual event is seeking $5 million from the borough. Ryan Nelson had no time to secure himself on the ride when the operator "unreasonably and unexpectedly jolted and jerked" him on the bull at the Bergenfield Family Fun Day in June 2017, NorthJersey.com reports. Nelson was out of work and under went surgery for some permanent injuries to his head, neck, limbs and nervous system endured on the ride at Veteran's Memorial Park, his lawyer Christopher DiGirolamo said. The suit was filed in Berge…
'Too Late,' Judge Tells Paramus Teacher, Bus Crash Survivor Who Tried To File Suit 'Too Late,' Judge Tells Paramus Teacher, Bus Crash Survivor Who Tried To File Suit
'Too Late,' Judge Tells Paramus Teacher, Bus Crash Survivor Who Tried To File Suit A Paramus teacher who survived the Morris County school bus crash on Route 80 might have been able to file a lawsuit -- if only she had tried sooner, according to a Superior Court judge. East Brook Middle School teacher Jessica Madonna was diagnosed with PTSD in January, eight months after the Mount Olive crash that killed her colleague, a fifth grade student and left nearly 40 others injured, NJ.com reports. The 28-year-old was released from the hospital the day of the crash without symptoms, and returned to teaching the following September, the article says citing Morris County court docu…
North Bergen Police Lieutenant From Carlstadt Arrested On DWI, Cocaine Charges North Bergen Police Lieutenant From Carlstadt Arrested On DWI, Cocaine Charges
North Bergen Police Lieutenant From Carlstadt Arrested On DWI, Cocaine Charges A North Bergen police lieutenant was suspended from the department after he was arrested on DWI and drug charges last weekend in East Rutherford, authorities said. Alex J. Guzman, 39 of Carlstadt is scheduled for a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court on Aug. 22, facing allegations he was in possession of cocaine when he was arrested Saturday evening, East Rutherford police said. Guzman was immediately suspended when the department was notified of his arrest, North Bergen Police Chief Robert Dowd said in a statement to the Jersey Journal. East Rutherford police received a repor…
Inmate Attempting Suicide In Bergen County Jail Saved By Sheriff's Officers Inmate Attempting Suicide In Bergen County Jail Saved By Sheriff's Officers
Inmate Attempting Suicide In Bergen County Jail Saved By Sheriff's Officers A 54-year-old man being held on criminal charges in the Bergen County Jail attempted suicide Sunday evening but was resuscitated by sheriff's officers and medical staff, authorities said. The incident occurred at approximately 6 p.m., Bergen County Sheriff's Office spokesman William Schievella told Daily Voice. The inmate -- being held on criminal charges by the Bergen County Superior Court -- was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center, Schievella said. Schievella did not release the man's name and was unable to say if there was evidence that he was planning suicide.
Bergen Catholic Wrestling Program Accused Of Sex, Verbal Assault In Lawsuit Bergen Catholic Wrestling Program Accused Of Sex, Verbal Assault In Lawsuit
Bergen Catholic Wrestling Program Accused Of Sex, Verbal Assault In Lawsuit The Bergen Catholic Wrestling program is being accused of sexual and verbal assault in a lawsuit filed in Bergen County Superior Court. The complaint was filed on behalf of one former wrestler and 100 other unnamed victims, according to the suit, posted in an article by NorthJersey.com. The 29-page suit says that head coach Dave Bell made inappropriate comments to the athlete, saying he was "shredded" and in emails and texts told him he loved him "as well as other highly inappropriate and sexual predatory behavior on a minor child," the article says. Bell's lawyer, Sean…