PATCH.COM REPORTED FRIDAY AFTERNOON THAT NINE PEOPLE, INCLUDING A MINOR, HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOLLOWING A MAJOR DRUG AND GUN BUST IN PASSAIC COUNTY. ON TUESDAY, A MULTI-AGENCY INVESTIGATION INTO A DRUG-DEALING RING THAT LAUNCHED IN AUGUST LED TO THE SEARCH OF 12 LOCATIONS ACROSS PATERSON, PASSAIC, HALEDON AND HAWTHORNE, RESULTING IN SEVERAL DRUG AND GUN CHARGES. POLICE SAID THAT ACROSS THE 12 LOCATIONS, INVESTIGATORS FOUND SEVEN GUNS, MORE THAN 500 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION AND SEVERAL LARGE-CAPACITY AMMUNITION MAGAZINES. PROSECUTORS SAID THAT AUTHORITIES ALSO DISCOVERED A HEAVY AMOUNT OF DRUGS SUCH AS MORE THAN TWO POUNDS OF COCAINE, 20 GRAMS OF HEROIN, VARIOUS OXYCODONE AND MORE, AS WELL AS DRUG PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION MATERIALS AND NEARLY $10,000 IN CASH. THE SUSPECTS ARRESTED WERE 34-YEAR-OLD CARLOS URENA, 26-YEAR-OLD CRISTIAN ROJAS, 29-YEAR-OLD JOSEAN ALEXANDER, 29-YEAR-OLD LEONARDO VARGAS, 19-YEAR-OLD SEBASTIAN HENAO, 19-YEAR OLD DERRIKC TOLENTINO, 29-YEAR-OLD CHRISTIAN HENAO, 27-YEAR-OLD JOSE VASQUEZ AND A 17-YEAR-OLD WHOSE NAME WAS WITHHELD DUE TO BEING A MINOR. THE NINE SUSPECTS’ CHARGES INCLUDE LEADING A NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING NETWORK, MAINTAINING A DRUG PRODUCTION FACILITY, POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE AND MORE. ALL ADULT SUSPECTS ARE BEING HELD AT THE BERGEN COUNTY JAIL TO AWAIT ARRAIGNMENT ON TUESDAY, AND THE MINOR IS BEING HELD AT THE ESSEX COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER WHILE WAITING FOR FAMILY COURT PROCEEDINGS. THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ACTIVE, AND ANYONE WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE INCIDENT IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE PASSAIC COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE AT 1-877-370-PCPO OR TIPS@PASSAICCOUNTYNJ.ORG.
HUDSONCOUNTYVIEW.COM REPORTED FRIDAY AFTERNOON THAT A MAN WAS CHARGED WITH A JERSEY CITY SEXUAL ASSAULT AFTER A PUBLIC APPEAL WAS ISSUED TO IDENTIFY A SUSPECT IN A WALLIS AVENUE INCIDENT FROM LAST MONTH. HUDSON COUNTY PROSECUTOR WAYNE MELLO SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT 46-YEAR-OLD FRANKLIN MARTINEZ OF ORANGE IS CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. HE WAS ALSO PROCESSED AS A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE OUT OF NEW YORK. MARTINEZ WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HUDSON COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, PENDING HIS FIRST COURT APPEARANCE. SHORTLY BEFORE 7 P.M. ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17TH, THE JERSEY CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED OF A SEXUAL ASSAULT ON WALLIS AVENUE. THE FEMALE VICTIM REPORTED THAT AN UNKNOWN MALE FOLLOWED HER FOR SEVERAL BLOCKS BEFORE SEXUALLY ASSAULTING HER. THE HCPO DID A PUBLIC APPEAL ON OCTOBER 29TH TO IDENTIFY A SUSPECT AFTER RELEASING A PHOTO. MELLO CREDITED THE HCPO’S SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, MAJOR CASE UNIT, INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN TASK FORCE, SPECIAL OPERATIONS AND CRIME SCENE UNIT, AS WELL AS THE U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE, JERSEY CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND ORANGE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH THE INVESTIGATION AND ARREST.
NJ.COM REPORTED THAT A NEWARK WOMAN WHO WAS KILLED AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A VEHICLE AND DRAGGED BENEATH IT FOR 2 MILES LAST FRIDAY WAS IDENTIFIED. ACCORDING TO THE ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE, POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE EXTRA SUPERMARKET ON THE 300 BLOCK OF LYONS STREET JUST BEFORE 7 PM. UPON ARRIVING, THEY FOUND 34-YEAR-OLD MELONIE MYERS FROM NEWARK UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT SHE WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON SHERMAN AVENUE, MORE THAN 2 MILES AWAY FROM THE STORE, WHEN SHE HIT WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS A GARBAGE BAG. AFTER MAKING A PURCHASE, THE DRIVER CAME BACK TO HER CAR AND TRIED TO REVERSE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. AS SHE WALKED TO THE BACK OF HER CAR, SHE REALIZED SHE DIDN’T HIT A GARBAGE BAG, BUT DISCOVERED A WOMAN INSTEAD. MYERS WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. AS OF FRIDAY, NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED, AND THE INVESTIGATION REMAINS ONGOING. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION RELATED TO THE INCIDENT IS ASKED TO CALL THE ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE TIPS LINE AT 1-877-847-7432, AND WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL.