Wayne Mello Appointed Acting Hudson County Prosecutor: Attorney General Platkin
A veteran prosecutor known for trying high-profile murder cases has been tapped to lead the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced on Saturday, Aug. 2.
Wayne Mello, who has served as Hudson County’s First Assistant Prosecutor since 2016, officially assumed the role of Acting Prosecutor on Thursday, July 31, according to Platkin.
He succeeds Esther Suarez, who retired Friday, Aug. 1, after nearly a decade in the post. Mello will now oversee about 70 assistant prosecutors and more than 100 detectives investigating violent crime, gun violence, narcotic…
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez Retiring
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez is retiring.
Suarez, who has served in the position for 10 years, made the announcement on Thursday, July 17. Her last day will be Friday, Aug. 1.
"My goal, since day one, was to build an Office that can better address the needs of the residents of Hudson County, while also providing law enforcement with the tools necessary to protect and serve," Suarez said.
Under her watch, the Hudson County Regional Collision Investigation Unit, Hudson County Regional S.W.A.T. and Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force were established.
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Two Men Convicted In Double Fatal Jersey City Shooting: Prosecutor
A 23-year-old Jersey City man was convicted of murdering two people on Monday, June 9, authorities said.
Omire Rios-Williams was convicted of two counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, four counts of attempted murder, four counts of aggravated assault and multiple weapons offenses, Suarez said.
Around 11 p.m. on Friday, May 21, 2021, Jersey City police responded to Crescent Avenue and Brinkerhoff Street and found six people shot, Jersey City Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.
Two men, Jason Crutcher, 26, and Randolph Black Jr. 25, both Jersey City residents, were pronounced dead …
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 Triple Shooting: One Dead, Two Wounded, Gunmen Flee
A man was shot and killed and two other people wounded in the Heights section of Jersey City, authorities confirmed.
Witnesses reported seeing two gunmen flee east on Bowers Street following the shooting on Central Avenue around 9 p.m. Sunday, April 7.
Freddie Posey, 25, of Jersey City, was pronounced dead shortly after 9:30 p.m. at Jersey City Medical Center, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.
A 30-year-old Jersey City female who also was brought to the hospital in an ambulance was treated for a gunshot would in the leg, responders said.
A third victim, a 24-year-old Jerse…
Driver Who Did 100MPH+ In Wrong-Way Crash That Killed Three In Jersey City Indicted: Prosecutor
𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A Jersey City driver who authorities said was doing over 100 miles an hour before a head-on crash on a treacherous stretch of road that killed three people was indicted on major charges.
Ziyang Wang, 23, was behind the wheel of a BMW X5 M50i that collided with a Kia Amanti after it came around a blind curve on the wrong side of Paterson Plank Road, just south of Congress Street, on Oct. 16, 2023, authorities said at the time.
Wang had four other people in the car with him, two of whom died in the crash along with the Kia driver, Dylan Weidenfeld, 26, of Jersey City, who was pronounc…
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…
No-Show Jersey City Contractors Conned Victims Out Of $200K: Prosecutor
Three Hudson and Bergen County residents were arrested and charged this week after they were paid $200,000 to do contract work they never performed, authorities said.
In March, Viral Patel, a 38-year-old Jersey City resident, Priyanka Patel, a 33-year-old Jersey City resident, and Pratik Patel, a 35-year-old Ramsey resident, were hired to perform contract work at a business owner's three properties, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.
The business owner received an invoice from Janvi Hotel Supply LLC at 23 Thorne St. in Jersey City for $200,000, which they paid, only the contract w…
Murder: Charges Upgraded After Man Beaten During Union City Robbery Dies, Police Say
Charges have been upgraded for a 23-year-old man after the man who he struck over the head during a robbery last week died, authorities in Hudson County said.
At 3 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16, Union City police found Jorge Mocetzuma Espinoza unresponsive, and rushed him to Jersey City Medical Center with upper body injuries, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.
Hours later, Isaiah Grey was charged with attempted murder, robbery and aggravated assault, Suarez said.
Espinoza died six days later, Suarez said. An autopsy determined he died from blunt impact injuries to the head, Su…
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
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…
