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Hudson County Prosecutor

Jersey City Teacher Guilty Of Sex Crimes Against Student, 12, One Of Many: Prosecutor Jersey City Teacher Guilty Of Sex Crimes Against Student, 12, One Of Many: Prosecutor
Jersey City Teacher Guilty Of Sex Crimes Against Student, 12, One Of Many: Prosecutor A Jersey City teacher accused of sex crimes against multiple students has been convicted of sexually assaulting one, authorities said Monday, Sept. 22. On Thursday, Sept. 18, a jury found Apparao Sunkara, 72, of Hicksville, NY, guilty of sexual assault by contact, endangering the welfare of a child, and official misconduct — all second-degree crimes, Acting Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello said. Between September 2019 and January 2020, Sunkara engaged in prohibited sexual acts with a 12-year-old female student while employed as a teacher at Infinity Institute in Jersey City, author…
North Bergen Cop Went Home When He Was Supposed To Be On Duty: Prosecutor North Bergen Cop Went Home When He Was Supposed To Be On Duty: Prosecutor
North Bergen Cop Went Home When He Was Supposed To Be On Duty: Prosecutor A 27-year-old North Bergen police officer was arrested and charged with theft after authorities say he wasn't doing his job. Rasheed Siyam was arrested on Monday, Sept. 15 after an investigation found that on various dates between November 2024 and May 2025, Siyam returned to his home while on duty for extended periods of time, Acting Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello. He remained at home over 130 hours beyond department approved meal break, Mello said. Siyam is charged with theft by deception, Mello said.
Sixth Person Arrested In Drug Bust At Jersey City Deli: Prosecutor Sixth Person Arrested In Drug Bust At Jersey City Deli: Prosecutor
Sixth Person Arrested In Drug Bust At Jersey City Deli: Prosecutor A 20-year-old Jersey City resident was arrested and charged on Tuesday, July 1, as part of an investigation into narcotics being sold at a deli on Martin Luther King Drive, authorities said. Jamari Champagne faces numerous drug distribution and drug possession charges, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. In February, law enforcement conducted a court-authorized search of Kaelyn Deli and Grocery at 156 Martin Luther King Drive, Suarez said. During the search, investigators recovered various quantities of suspected cocaine, heroin, drug paraphernalia, and money in various l…
Guttenberg Man Killed In Fire: Prosecutor Guttenberg Man Killed In Fire: Prosecutor
Guttenberg Man Killed In Fire: Prosecutor A 37-year-old Guttenberg man was killed in a fire on Monday, June 23, authorities said, At 7 a.m., North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue responded to 6914 Park Ave. and found a fire coming from the third floor of a residential structure, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Firefighters located Marcos Santa-Zayas with serious injuries, Suarez said. He was transported to Palisades Medical Center where he was pronounced dead soon after, Suarez said. The cause and origin are being investigated by the Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force, Suarez said. Foul play is not susp…
Employee At Kearny Charter School Exposed Himself To Middle Schoolers: Prosecutor Employee At Kearny Charter School Exposed Himself To Middle Schoolers: Prosecutor
Employee At Kearny Charter School Exposed Himself To Middle Schoolers: Prosecutor A 36-year-old Garfield resident was arrested and charged on Thursday, June 5, with exposing himself to students at the Kearny charter school where he worked ,authorities said. Omer Sogutcu was an IT professional at Hudson Arts and Science Middle School, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Two girls under the age of 13 reported Sogutcu exposed himself and asked them to engage in sexual conduct, Suarez said. Sogutcu is charged with two counts of sexual assault by contact and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, Suarez said. He was arrested at the charter …
Bayonne Man Who Fatally Stabbed Wife Learns Fate: Hudson County Prosecutor Bayonne Man Who Fatally Stabbed Wife Learns Fate: Hudson County Prosecutor
Bayonne Man Who Fatally Stabbed Wife Learns Fate: Hudson County Prosecutor A 35-year-old Bayonne man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Friday, March 28 for fatally stabbing his wife in 2022, authorities said. Peter Revelo had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in the death of Mely Vanessa Tafoya Mendoza, a 33-year-old Bayonne resident, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. On Wednesday, March 2, 2022, Bayonne police responded to 105 North St. and found Mendoza with a stab wound to her torso, Suarez said. She was pronounced dead at the scene, Suarez said.
Cocaine, Heroin Found At Jersey City Grocery Store After Raid, 5 Arrested: Prosecutor Cocaine, Heroin Found At Jersey City Grocery Store After Raid, 5 Arrested: Prosecutor
Cocaine, Heroin Found At Jersey City Grocery Store After Raid, 5 Arrested: Prosecutor Five people were arrested after drugs were found during a raid of a Jersey City grocery store this month, authorities said. On Wednesday, Feb. 5, law enforcement  conducted a court-authorized search of Kaelyn Deli and Grocery at 156 Martin Luther King Dr., Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.  During the search, investigators recovered various quantities of suspected cocaine, heroin, drug paraphernalia, and money in various locations throughout the storefront. As a result, five individuals were charged with various narcotics offenses, including conspira…
15-Year-Old Girl Killed In Double Jersey City Shooting: Prosecutor 15-Year-Old Girl Killed In Double Jersey City Shooting: Prosecutor
15-Year-Old Girl Killed In Double Jersey City Shooting: Prosecutor A 15-year-old girl was killed and her 37-year-old female relative was wounded in a Jersey City shooting late Saturday, Jan. 18, authorities said. Cianna Lee and the other victim were found with gunshot wounds in a car on Oak Street near Martin Luther King Drive and Union Street around 11 p.m., Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Lee was taken to Jersey City Medical Center where she was pronounced dead shortly after 1:20 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19, while her relative was hospitalized and is in stable condition, the prosecutor said. No arrests have been made as of press time. Anyo…
Two Killed In Kearny Fire: Prosecutor Two Killed In Kearny Fire: Prosecutor
Two Killed In Kearny Fire: Prosecutor Two people were killed in an early morning fire in Kearny on Friday, Dec. 6, authorities said. Around midnight, the Kearny Fire Department responded to a fire at 56 Hamilton Ave. and encountered heavy fire coming from a single residence, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Two people, Martin Wilson, 61, and Mary Beth Guenther, 58, were located within the structure with serious injuries, Suarez said. They were transported to a nearby hospital where they were pronounced dead, Suarez said. A preliminary investigation determined the fire originated in the basement of the structure, Su…
Jersey City Dispatcher Intentionally Hit Man With Vehicle After Altercation: Prosecutor Jersey City Dispatcher Intentionally Hit Man With Vehicle After Altercation: Prosecutor
Jersey City Dispatcher Intentionally Hit Man With Vehicle After Altercation: Prosecutor A 37-year-old Jersey City woman was arrested and charged with intentionally striking a pedestrian in Bayonne on Sunday, Oct. 13, authorities said. At 12:20 a.m., Bayonne police found a man with life-threatening injuries after he was struck by a vehicle at Route 440 and 22nd Street, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. The man was transported to a nearby hospital, where he remains in critical condition, Suarez said. Kalimah Toon had gotten into an altercation with the victim on the shoulder of Route 440, Suarez said. Toon then entered a Ford Escape and intentionally struck the victim…
Female Killer Resentenced In Double Murder Of Jersey City College Sweethearts Female Killer Resentenced In Double Murder Of Jersey City College Sweethearts
Female Killer Resentenced In Double Murder Of Jersey City College Sweethearts A 33-year-old woman was resentenced to 70 years in state prison on Monday, Sept. 16, for her role in the murder of two people in 2010. Latonia Bellamy was convicted in 2021 of felony murder for the robbery and fatal shooting of Michael Muchioki, 27, and Nia Haqq, 25 on Randolph Avenue in Jersey City in April 2010, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.  The two were killed outside their home around 3 a.m. on April 4, 2010, after coming home from their own engagement party, NJ.com reported, noting they were college sweethearts.  An appeals court upheld Bellamy's conviction b…
900 Grams Of Cocaine Seized After Raid At Jersey City Clothing Store: Prosecutor 900 Grams Of Cocaine Seized After Raid At Jersey City Clothing Store: Prosecutor
900 Grams Of Cocaine Seized After Raid At Jersey City Clothing Store: Prosecutor Two people were arrested on Wednesday, Sept. 11 after more than 900 grams of cocaine were seized from a narcotics distribution operation in Jersey City, authorities said. The Gangs Task Force executed a court-authorized search warrant at King George Clothing and Accessory Store at 426 Ocean Ave., after receiving information that narcotics were allegedly being sold within the business, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Various suspected narcotics and a firearm were found within the storefront, Suarez said.   Jamaal George, a 47-year-old Newark resident, a…
Man Gets 25 Years For Kearny Holiday Home Invasion Man Gets 25 Years For Kearny Holiday Home Invasion
Man Gets 25 Years For Kearny Holiday Home Invasion A 31-year-old Newark man was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Wednesday, July 24, for his role in a home invasion in Kearny three days before Christmas 2017, authorities said. On Dec. 22, 2017, Evin Ferman-Argueta was one of three men who entered a woman's apartment and sexually assaulted her while demanding money, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. The men left with her vehicle and numerous personal items, Suarez said. Ferman-Argueta had previously pleaded guilty to kidnapping, robbery and aggravated sexual assault, Suarez said. Two co-defendants, Erick Leon-Farinago, a 27…
Jersey City Man Learns His Fate For Stabbing Woman Dead In Her Home 5 Years Ago Jersey City Man Learns His Fate For Stabbing Woman Dead In Her Home 5 Years Ago
Jersey City Man Learns His Fate For Stabbing Woman Dead In Her Home 5 Years Ago A 48-year-old man was sentenced on Tuesday, July 23, to 45 years in state prison for fatally stabbing a woman in Jersey City in 2018, authorities said. Ishmeal Coleman was sentenced after he was found guilty of murder and multiple weapons charges in February, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.  In August 2018, Jersey City Police responded to a residence at 391 Forrest St. and found Takeela Wilson with a stab wound to her torso, Suarez said. She was pronounced dead soon after, authorities said. As previously reported by Daily Voice, the stabbing occurred in Wilson's home.&nbs…
Three Sentenced In Fatal Shooting Of Jersey City Teen: Prosecutor Three Sentenced In Fatal Shooting Of Jersey City Teen: Prosecutor
Three Sentenced In Fatal Shooting Of Jersey City Teen: Prosecutor Three Jersey City residents were sentenced on Friday, July 19, to lengthy prison terms for their roles in a fatal 2018 shooting of a 17-year-old Jersey City boy, authorities said. Rayquan Carmichael, 23, was sentenced to 40 years in state prison for murder, while Isaiah Huggins, 24, was sentenced to 42 years in state prison for murder, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. The two were convicted back in March, Suarez sad. Carmichael was already serving time in prison on unrelated weapons and burglary charges, Suarez said. Jahmari Hector, 21, was sentenced to six years in prison for c…
More Charges Filed Against Driver, 25, In Hudson County Crash: Prosecutor More Charges Filed Against Driver, 25, In Hudson County Crash: Prosecutor
More Charges Filed Against Driver, 25, In Hudson County Crash: Prosecutor A 25-year-old Passaic resident has been hit with additional charges in a car crash earlier this month in Weehawken that seriously injured three people. Luis Tubac-Socoy faces charges of aggravated assault, endangering an injured victim and assault by automobile, among others following the Friday, July 5 crash, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. ALSO SEE: Passaic Driver, 25, Seen On Video Fleeing Scene Where 3 Were Seriously Injured At 9:50 p.m., a crash occurred at Avenue at Port Imperial and Port Imperial Boulevard between a Ford F350 and a Honda CRV, Suarez said. After str…
Man Captured In Florida, Charged In Fatal Jersey City Triple Shooting: Prosecutor Man Captured In Florida, Charged In Fatal Jersey City Triple Shooting: Prosecutor
Man Captured In Florida, Charged In Fatal Jersey City Triple Shooting: Prosecutor A 21-year-old Union City man was arrested in Florida on Thursday, July 11, and charged for his involvement in a fatal triple shooting in Jersey City in April. Freddie Castro was arrested in Kissimmee, Fla. by the United States Marshals Service Florida/Caribbean Division in coordination with the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. At 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 7, police responded to Central Avenue and Bowers Street and found two victims with gunshot wounds, while the third had taken himself to University Hospital in Newark. F…
Community Rallies For Family Of 6-Year-Old Killed In Fire Community Rallies For Family Of 6-Year-Old Killed In Fire
Community Rallies For Family Of 6-Year-Old Killed In Fire A fundraiser has been set up to assist the family of Saniya Felton, a 6-year-old who was killed in a fire in Bayonne on Monday, July 1. "This is an extremely vulnerable and emotional time for my family and I," Saniya's mother Latrice wrote. "I could have never imagined losing any of my children. Saniya was my only daughter – my youngest child. "As I write this I am thinking of all of the fun times we spent together and the massive void that I will live with forever. My son and I watched the house burn down, as we stood there helpless. It goes without saying that our lives will never be the …
Bayonne Pair Arrested For Selling Cocaine, Illegal Firearm Bayonne Pair Arrested For Selling Cocaine, Illegal Firearm
Bayonne Pair Arrested For Selling Cocaine, Illegal Firearm Two men were arrested in Bayonne on Tuesday, June 18 and charged with dealing cocaine, marijuana and pills, authorities said. Giovanny Alfaro and Jamie Juarez-Castillo, both 23, were arrested on Avenue C in Bayonne and found to be in possession of  more than 180 grams of suspected cocaine, more than three pounds of suspected marijuana, multiple quantities of Alprazolam and Oxycodone pills and more than $3,000 in suspected proceeds from narcotics transactions, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. During the course of the investigation, numerous transactions w…
Parents Formerly Of Hudson Charged In 2-Year-Daughter's Tragic Death Parents Formerly Of Hudson Charged In 2-Year-Daughter's Tragic Death
Parents Formerly Of Hudson Charged In 2-Year-Daughter's Tragic Death The parents of a 2-year-old girl who died of traumatic injuries after being rushed to the hospital from what had been their North Bergen home were indicted by a grand jury in connection with the child’s death. Tracy Ruiz, 31, and Luis Larios, 35 – who both now live in the Somerset County town of Green Brook are each charged with child endangerment. Ruiz alone is charged with aggravated assault, however. Larios was arrested on Feb. 29 following the release of the grand jury indictment in Jersey Cit, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Ruiz was arrested on March 7, the prosecutor s…
UPDATE: One Dead, Two Wounded In Jersey City's First Homicide Of '24: Prosecutor UPDATE: One Dead, Two Wounded In Jersey City's First Homicide Of '24: Prosecutor
Update: One Dead, Two Wounded In Jersey City's First Homicide Of '24: Prosecutor UPDATE (March 27): A Hoboken man was charged with murder and aggravated assault in a triple shooting in Jersey City earlier this month. Authorities confirmed on Wednesday, March 27, that Joseph Del Valle, 36, was arrested by members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit the day before. He remained held in the Hudson County Correctional Facility along with a second accused gunman, Francisco Salcedo, 42, of Jersey City, they said. City resident Christoph Terrero Marte, 33, was gunned down on Jordan Avenue off Mercer Street near McGinley Square shortly before 6:30 a.m. …
Jersey City Man Convicted Of Stabbing Woman To Death In Her Apartment Jersey City Man Convicted Of Stabbing Woman To Death In Her Apartment
Jersey City Man Convicted Of Stabbing Woman To Death In Her Apartment UPDATE: Jurors in Jersey City convicted a local man of stabbing a city woman dead in her apartment 5½ years ago. Ishmeal "Rico" Coleman, 46, of the Salem Lafayette Gardens housing complex was found guilty of murder and multiple weapons offenses in the Aug. 12, 2018 stabbing death of Takeela Wilson, 38, in her home in the 300 block of Forrest Street. People who knew both of them identified Coleman in a photo array, authorities said. Police sat on Wilson’s car, then grabbed Coleman when he approached it carrying the keys. Assistant Hudson County Prosecutor Najma Rana secured the guilty verd…
Jersey City Man, 71, Fatally Struck 85-Year-Old, Left Scene: Prosecutors Jersey City Man, 71, Fatally Struck 85-Year-Old, Left Scene: Prosecutors
Jersey City Man, 71, Fatally Struck 85-Year-Old, Left Scene: Prosecutors A 71-year-old Jersey City resident was arrested on Friday, Jan. 26 and charged with fatally striking an 85-year-old man with his vehicle and leaving the scene last October, authorities said. On Friday, Oct. 20, Jersey City police responded to a report of a pedestrian struck near Fairview Avenue and Monticello Avenue and found Mumtaz Chaudhry, a Jersey City resident, at Fairmount Avenue and Summit Avenue, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Suarez said. An investigation determined Mohammad Ali was driving a Toyota Siena when he fatally stru…
2½ Years A Fugitive: Accused Killer From Jersey City Captured In South Carolina 2½ Years A Fugitive: Accused Killer From Jersey City Captured In South Carolina
2½ Years A Fugitive: Accused Killer From Jersey City Captured In South Carolina On the same day that U.S. Marshals announced a reward for help capturing an accused killer from Jersey City who’d been on the run for 2½ years, they nabbed him in South Carolina. Tybear Miles, a 28-year-old ex-con, remained held in the Spartanburg County Detention Center pending extradition to New Jersey to face murder and illegal weapons possession charges in the June 5, 2021 shooting death of Ahmad McPherson in Jersey City. Spartanburg police, working with the U.S. Marshals Service’s New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, nabbed Miles on Wednesday, Jan. 10, Hudson County …
18-Year-Old Shot In Head By Boy In Jersey City: Prosecutor 18-Year-Old Shot In Head By Boy In Jersey City: Prosecutor
18-Year-Old Shot In Head By Boy In Jersey City: Prosecutor A 17-year-old Jersey City boy was charged on Wednesday, Dec. 27 with fatally shooting an 18-year-old last week, authorities said. Angel Guzman, a Jersey City resident, arrived at Jersey City Medical Center in a private vehicle with a gunshot wound to the upper body around 2:20 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 28, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. He was pronounced dead shortly before 4 p.m., Suarez said.  An investigation revealed Guzman was shot in the head inside a residence on Ocean Avenue in Jersey City, Suarez said. The 17-year-old was charged as a juvenile with aggravated manslaug…
Dive Teams Recover Body From Hackensack River Dive Teams Recover Body From Hackensack River
Dive Teams Recover Body From Hackensack River A man's body was recovered from the Hackensack River in Hudson County this weekend, authorities said. Dive teams and fire departments from across North Jersey responded to the Hackensack River along the eastern spur of the New Jersey Turnpike around 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. The male was found and pronounced dead just after 5:30 p.m. He has not yet been identified, and the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit has been notified to assist with the identification. The Cause and Manner of Death are pending the findings of the …
10 Firefighters Injured, 19 People Displaced By Thanksgiving Blaze On Bergenline (UPDATE) 10 Firefighters Injured, 19 People Displaced By Thanksgiving Blaze On Bergenline (UPDATE)
10 Firefighters Injured, 19 People Displaced By Thanksgiving Blaze On Bergenline (Update) Ten firefighters were injured and 19 people were displaced in a West New York fire on Thanksgiving, authorities said. The blaze at a fire at 5222 Bergenline Ave., located above the Marin Pharmacy, broke out around 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 23, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Footage posted to the Citizen app shows shooting through a window of a building at the corner of 53rd Street. During suppression efforts, 10 firefighters were injured, including two seriously, Suarez said. One firefighter remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, the prosecutor said. Four c…
$15M In Heroin, Fentanyl, Coke Seized In Takedown Of Massive NJ Drug Ring, Cops Say $15M In Heroin, Fentanyl, Coke Seized In Takedown Of Massive NJ Drug Ring, Cops Say
$15M In Heroin, Fentanyl, Coke Seized In Takedown Of Massive NJ Drug Ring, Cops Say A drug raid spanning several New Jersey towns turned up a stash of drugs — including heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine — with a street value of more than $15 million, and netted multiple arrests, police said. Acting on court-ordered search warrants, the raids were conducted Thursday, Nov. 16 following a months-long investigation in Hoboken, Jersey City, Elizabeth, and Montclair, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. The searches turned up seven handguns including two that were reported stolen, more than 17 kilograms of heroin/fentanyl, more than 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, and various…
Police Asking For Help Finding Minivan In Fatal Jersey City Hit-Run Police Asking For Help Finding Minivan In Fatal Jersey City Hit-Run
Police Asking For Help Finding Minivan In Fatal Jersey City Hit-Run Authorities in Hudson County are asking for the public's help identifying a minivan in a fatal hit-and-run crash. The light colored Toyota Siena struck 85-year-old Mumtaz Chaudhry near  Fairview and Monticello avenues around 6:45 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.  Chaudhry was found near Fairmount and Summit avenues, and pronounced dead, Suarez said. The Hudson County Regional Collision Investigation Unit and the Jersey City Police Department are actively investigating the case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Office of the Hu…
Fundraiser Created In Honor Of Jersey City Crash Victim: 'He’s Going To Be So So Missed' Fundraiser Created In Honor Of Jersey City Crash Victim: 'He’s Going To Be So So Missed'
Fundraiser Created In Honor Of Jersey City Crash Victim: 'He’s Going To Be So So Missed' The community is coming together after 26-year-old Dylan Weidenfeld was killed in a car crash in Jersey City on Monday, Oct. 16. A GoFundMe has been created in honor of Weidenfeld, with the money going to a charity of his family's choosing. As of Friday, Oct. 20, more than $9,600 has been raised. The fundraiser was created by F45 Hoboken and Downtown Jersey City, where Weidenfeld worked. Honestly, this is the hardest post I ever thought I would share and the last thing I could have ever imagined would... Posted by Lisa Lieberman-Wang on Monday, October 16, 2023 Weidenfeld was operating …
Man Charged In Hit-and-Run Crash, Jersey City Cyclist Injured: Prosecutors Man Charged In Hit-and-Run Crash, Jersey City Cyclist Injured: Prosecutors
Man Charged In Hit-and-Run Crash, Jersey City Cyclist Injured: Prosecutors A 33-year-old Bayonne man was arrested and charged on Wednesday, Sept. 20 with hitting a Jersey City cyclist and then fleeing the scene back in July, authorities said. At 12:30 a.m. on Monday, July 24, a 64-year-old Jersey City man was riding his bicycle when he was struck by a red Hyundai driven by Joseph Emmons at Kennedy Boulevard and Terhune Avenue, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. The man was projected onto a parked vehicle as Emmons fled the scene, Suarez said. The man suffered serious injuries, Suarez said. Emmons was charged with endangering an injured victim in the thir…