55°
The victim told police he’d met a woman at the Days Inn on Route 23 “for the purpose of paying her for sex,” Detective Capt. Dan Daly said Tuesday.
Soon after she arrived, there was a knock at the door, he said.
The woman opened the door and let in another woman, who was carrying a bag, and a man who was carrying a guitar case, the victim told police.
Both were wearing hoods and masks, he said.
The man pulled a shotgun from the guitar case and pointed at the victim while the woman produced a baseball bat from the bag, Daly said.
Both threatened him and demanded his valuables, the victim said.
The man then handed the shotgun to the second woman, who pointed it at the victim’s head, he said.
They then ordered him to stay in the bathroom with the door closed while they fled with his belongings, Daly said.
Investigators led by Detective Michael Polifrone reviewed surveillance video that showed all three robbers entering the motel.
They also had a huge tip to work with.
Turns out the victim had patronized the same prostitute before.
Her name was Mariam, he said, and she’d spent time at the Red Carpet Motel on Route 46 in Elmwood Park.
Detectives from Wayne and Elmwood Park found Mariam Mohammed, 22, of Clifton at the Red Carpet last Friday, Daly said.
Wayne Detective Sgt. Vincent Ricciardelli and Detective Ken Hart, went to her room along with Elmwood Park Detective Christopher Miranda.
Wayne Detective Tom Kartanowicz covered any possible escape routes.
Mohammed opened the door, and Ricciardelli immediately spotted her accomplices sitting on a bed, Daly said.
She and the other two -- Jessica Bell-Tulloch, 22, of Paterson and Damony James, 20, of Passaic -- were taken into custody without incident, he said.
A baseball bat was also found in the room.
“Statements were made [at headquarters] that acknowledged the outstanding shotgun and provided a description of it that matched the victim’s description of the weapon,” Daly said.
Wayne detectives searched James’s Passaic apartment, assisted by city police, and found the shotgun, the captain said.
They also found the victim’s ID and bank cards, he said.
Mohammed, Bell-Tulloch and James were charged with robbery, burglary, theft and weapons offenses and sent to the Passaic County Jail to await detention hearings.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Washington Township and receive free news updates.
