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Diogenes A. Rosario, 49, of New York, NY; Leonel Perez, 38, of New York, NY; and Misael Diaz, 38, of Yonkers, broke into a multi-family home on Crescent Lane in Cliffside Park around 1:50 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
All three were wearing dark-colored clothing and facemasks, and were outwardly displaying imitation police-style badges, portraying themselves as police officers, Musella said.
Once inside, the suspects forcibly restrained three victims, two of whom were under the age of 14. Three additional children remained asleep in the home during the robbery, Musella said. Once the victims who were awake were restrained, the suspects ransacked the home and removed valuables.
As the investigation progressed in the days ahead, detectives identified a vehicle with a stolen license plate that was utilized by the suspects to travel to and from the scene of the crime, according to Musella. Additional investigative work eventually led to the identification of Rosario, Perez, and Diaz.
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, with the help of the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad located and arrested Rosario at a home in Ridgefield. He was held in the Bergen County Jail pending a future court date.
Later that day, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad, alongside members of the New York City Police Department’s 33rd Precinct, found and arrested Perez in New York City. A court-authorized search warrant at a New York City home linked Perez to Rosario. Perez was transferred into the custody of the New York City Department of Corrections – Rikers Island Jail, pending extradition to Bergen County, New Jersey.
On Friday, Nov. 1, with the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yonkers (NY) Police Department, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad found and arrested Diaz in Yonkers. He was lodged in the Westchester County Jail, pending extradition to Bergen County.
All three individuals were charged with first-degree kidnapping, second-degree robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, third-degree burglary, third-degree theft, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and fourth-degree impersonating a law enforcement officer.
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