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River Vale Man Charged With Clubbing Ex-Roomie With Baton In Hillsdale Liquor Store Brawl River Vale Man Charged With Clubbing Ex-Roomie With Baton In Hillsdale Liquor Store Brawl
River Vale Man Charged With Clubbing Ex-Roomie With Baton In Hillsdale Liquor Store Brawl A River Vale man surrendered to Hillsdale police on Friday after clobbering a former roommate with an expandable baton during a fight at a local liquor store, authorities said. Bartello Merlino, 45, and the victim already had a contentious history when they ran into each other at the Bottle King on Washington Avenue early Thursday night, Police Capt. Sean Smith said. They exchanged words and began fighting when Merlino pulled out the baton and whacked the 26-year-old borough man over the head with it, Smith said. He then fled in a Jeep Liberty, the captain said. The victim was taken to Ha…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Freelance Writer From NY Charged With Assaulting Fort Lee Police During Welfare Check Freelance Writer From NY Charged With Assaulting Fort Lee Police During Welfare Check
Freelance Writer From NY Charged With Assaulting Fort Lee Police During Welfare Check Fort Lee police were checking on the welfare of a man at a local high-rise when he assaulted them and was taken into custody, authorities said. Matthew D. Gilgoff, a 45-year-old freelance writer from Ulster County, NY, was alert and conscious but under the influence of drugs when officers found him on the floor at 2100 Linwood Avenue, Capt. Edward Young said. Gilgoff told both of them that they “will die tonight” and also “made a statement that was biased in nature,” Young said. He then kicked an officer and wrapped his legs around the officer’s in an attempt at a tackle, the captain said…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Did You Do Business With This Man? Arrest Made In $90,000 Bergen COVID Gloves Scam Did You Do Business With This Man? Arrest Made In $90,000 Bergen COVID Gloves Scam
Did You Do Business With This Man? Arrest Made In $90,000 Bergen COVID Gloves Scam A judge in Hackensack released an out-of-state man accused of illegally profiting off the COVID pandemic by pocketing $90,000 for what were supposed to be a million personal protective gloves. Nwaokoma Nwakanma, 30, of Westland, MI claimed to work for Bioneutral Chem Group, a bogus Newark-based company that purported to be a legitimate business, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Cresskill police got wind of the scam and alerted detectives from Musella’s Financial Crimes Unit in early June, the prosecutor said. They investigated and obtained an arrest warrant for Nwakanma, of West…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Judge Releases Paterson Hit-Run Driver Who Seriously Injured Youngster Judge Releases Paterson Hit-Run Driver Who Seriously Injured Youngster
Judge Releases Paterson Hit-Run Driver Who Seriously Injured Youngster UPDATE: A Paterson driver who fled after his SUV struck and seriously injured a juvenile in broad daylight last month was arrested this week, authorities announced. Carlton Felder, 50, was behind the wheel of a 2005 Lincoln Aviator that struck the youngster on Broadway near Lake Street at 3:40 p.m. July 25, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora said in a joint release. The victim was taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center for treatment before being released, they said. Felder, who drove off, was arrested Tuesday and charged with leavin…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Paterson Native Charged With Assaulting Ex-GF, Carrying Drugs In Garfield Paterson Native Charged With Assaulting Ex-GF, Carrying Drugs In Garfield
Paterson Native Charged With Assaulting Ex-GF, Carrying Drugs In Garfield Garfield police captured a Paterson native who they said assaulted a former girlfriend, damaged her property and then fled after she kicked him in the groin. Officers Daniel Drazek and Isaac Perez found Shakar Bragg, 33, near the corner of Lanza Avenue and Davision Street following last week's incident, Capt. Richard Uram said. Bragg, who was out of breath and sweating, gave them a fake name and was arrested, Uram said. The officers also found him carrying heroin, the captain said. They charged Bragg with aggravated assault, simple assault, criminal restraint, burglary, hindering and drug…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Paterson Man Charged With Sexually Abusing Underage Teen Paterson Man Charged With Sexually Abusing Underage Teen
Paterson Man Charged With Sexually Abusing Underage Teen A Paterson man sexually abused an underage teen in the city of Passaic several times over the course of a year, authorities charged. The state Division of Child Protection and Permanency alerted the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office last month of a complaint against Noe Hernandez-Quintana, 37, they said. Special Victims Unit detectives interviewed the victim and multiple witnesses and found that the child had been sexually abused beginning at 14 years old, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said. The assaults continued "on multiple occasions at a residence in Passaic between 2019…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Police: Repeat Offender Took $86,000 In Drugs, More In Back-To-Back Wayne Pharmacy Smash-Grabs Police: Repeat Offender Took $86,000 In Drugs, More In Back-To-Back Wayne Pharmacy Smash-Grabs
Police: Repeat Offender Took $86,000 In Drugs, More In Back-To-Back Wayne Pharmacy Smash-Grabs A career criminal who was jailed following a Clifton police car crash during a pursuit stole more than $86,000 worth of drugs, scratch-off lottery tickets and a delivery vehicle from a Wayne pharmacy, authorities said. Joseph Holman, 41, of Passaic broke into the Plains Pharmacy at the Valley Ridge Shopping Center twice in less than 24 hours in late May, Detective Capt. Dan Daly said. The first time, he took $14,200 worth of scratch-off tickets after shattering the glass front door shortly before 4:30 a.m., Daly said. The following day, Wayne Police Officer David Beltran found the front d…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Haledon PD: Local Resident Busted With Coke, Pills, More Haledon PD: Local Resident Busted With Coke, Pills, More
Haledon PD: Local Resident Busted With Coke, Pills, More Haledon police busted a local resident while seizing cocaine, dozens of prescription pills and packaging materials during a raid, authorities said. Wilfredo Ramos III, 28, was released pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Paterson after police charged him with drug possession with the intent to distribute it and possession of paraphernalia. Detective Sgt. Timothy Lindberg led a team of Haledon officers who raided Ramos’s West Clinton Street apartment, Lt. George Guzman said. The drugs included 90 Adderall pills, Guzman said. Also seized were a bag of coke, pac…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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NJ BAIL REFORM: Released Twice In Two Weeks, Ridgefield Park Man Gropes Woman, Police Charge NJ BAIL REFORM: Released Twice In Two Weeks, Ridgefield Park Man Gropes Woman, Police Charge
NJ Bail Reform: Released Twice In Two Weeks, Ridgefield Park Man Gropes Woman, Police Charge A repeat offender wanted for groping a local woman may have been ready to strike again when a Ridgefield Park police officer grabbed him, authorities said. It became the third time that Michael Hernandez, 22, had been arrested in Bergen County in a little over a month -- as well as the third time that police ended up seeing him released. The first time, they were required to release Hernandez under New Jersey's bail reform law after they said they caught him breaking into cars on May 16. SEE: Detective Work Produces Ridgefield Park Vehicle Burglary Arrest Ten days later (May 26), Hernande…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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East Orange Native Charged In Smoke Shop Sucker-Punch Death Of Paterson Man East Orange Native Charged In Smoke Shop Sucker-Punch Death Of Paterson Man
East Orange Native Charged In Smoke Shop Sucker-Punch Death Of Paterson Man An East Orange native was charged with sucker-punching and killing a Paterson man in a city smoke shop. Charles A. Richardson, 34, of Paterson was wanted for murder when East Orange police arrested him following a traffic stop Sunday night, authorities said. Law enforcement sources said Richardson had gotten into a sidewalk despite with Tremaine Thomas, 43, outside the Pull Up 2 smoke shop on 10th Avenue the afternoon of June 20. Richardson followed Thomas into the store and cold-cocked him with his fist in the head, knocking him out, they said. City firefighters tried to revive Thomas be…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Prosecutor: Kids Treatment Center Supervisor From Hackensack Sexually Assaulted Pre-Teen Prosecutor: Kids Treatment Center Supervisor From Hackensack Sexually Assaulted Pre-Teen
Prosecutor: Kids Treatment Center Supervisor From Hackensack Sexually Assaulted Pre-Teen A Hackensack man sexually assaulted a pre-teen while working as a weekend supervisor at a treatment center for children, authorities charged. Garry Rucker Jr., 31, remained held Monday in the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack. Rucker was working at an unidentified treatment center when he “engaged in sexual conduct including sexual penetration of a child who was under the age of thirteen,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. He “then left the facility and never returned,” the prosecutor said. The New Jersey Department …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
NYC Passenger Seriously Injured When Police Pursuit Ends In Route 21 Crash NYC Passenger Seriously Injured When Police Pursuit Ends In Route 21 Crash
NYC Passenger Seriously Injured When Police Pursuit Ends In Route 21 Crash A passenger was seriously injured and the driver jailed when an overnight Clifton police chase Thursday ended in a rollover crash in Nutley. Officers Mohammed Rayyan and William Gibson were assigned to a DUI Enforcement Detail on Route 21 when they stopped a 2017 Audi A7 for traffic violations on Lexington Avenue shortly after midnight, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. The officers had just gotten out of their car when the driver hit the gas and sped off, Bracken said. As they chased the luxury sedan southbound on Route 21 into Nutley, the driver cut the lights, the lieutenant said. He …

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by Jerry DeMarco