North Bergen
Group allegedly attacks officer
Six bar patrons, two of whom were allegedly involved in a robbery, turned on officers who were at a bar assisting with closing on Tuesday night, according to the Detective Bureau Lt. Frank Cannella. The group consisted of two females and four males.
Cannella said that Ingrid Cruz and Jose Argueta, respectively 30 and 35 years old, of North Bergen and Union City, allegedly robbed two patrons of their car keys at knife point at a bar on Kennedy Blvd.
Officer Vincent Queiro, who was performing the bar closing check call, was approached by two victims, Cannella said. Queiro called for backup, and then attempted to stop all individuals who were walking away, said Cannella.
Fredys Mejia Moreno, 23, of North Bergen, allegedly turned to Queiro and said “shoot me,” said Cannella. Queiro told him to stop several times before drawing his weapon and repeating that he should stop, but then holstered his weapon when Fredys and another individual, Juan Meija Moreno, of North Bergen, allegedly attacked him, said Cannella.
Juan then allegedly grabbed Queiro’s microphone and tried to stop him from calling for more backup before Felix Meija Ferman, 24, of Guttenberg allegedly joined in the attack.
Cannella said that Cruz, along with Blanca Cruz Meija of North Bergen, allegedly obstructed officers during the attack.
He also said that the knife used in the alleged robbery was recovered.
Queiro sustained cuts and bruises to his hands and wrists and was treated at police headquarters for his injuries.
Fredys and Juan were both charged with aggravated assault to a law enforcement official, attempting to disarm a police officer, resisting arrest, and obstruction. Their bails were set at $75,000 and $50,000 respectively, with no bail bond option.
Felix was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement official, resisting arrest, obstruction, and exhibiting a false driver’s license. His bail was set at $20,000 with no bail bond option.
Argueta was charged with robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and his bail was set at $50,000 with no bail bond option.
Ingrid was charged with robbery, obstruction, along with a failure to appear out of Atlantic City, and her bail was set at $50,000 with no bail bond option.
Lastly, Blanca was charged with obstruction and her bail was set at $25,000 with no bail bond option.
Allegedly assaults mall employee
After he allegedly assaulted a mall employee so badly that the victim had to be treated for a broken eye socket, Roskilde Gomez, 34, of Fort Lee, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault by North Bergen Police over the weekend.
According to Commander of the Detective Bureau Lt. Frank Cannella, Gomez and another unidentified white male were parking in the Walmart lot at Tonnelle Avenue and 88th Street at approximately 10 a.m. on Feb. 5. Gomez’s passenger allegedly made a comment to the victim, an employee of a store in the complex who was collecting shopping carts, something to the effect of “What are you looking at?” said Cannella.
As the employee, a 19-year-old resident of North Bergen, continued to collect carts, Gomez allegedly parked his car and began an argument with him.
When the victim tried to walk away, “…Gomez [allegedly] began to punch him in the face several times with a closed fist, knocking the victim down to the ground unconscious, continuing to kick and punch the victim in the head, chest, and stomach area,” said Cannella.
Cannella said the victim and several witnesses wrote down Gomez’s license plate number, then witnessed the duo go into the market entrance of Walmart and leave from the pharmacy exit and leave the scene of the crime.
The victim was transported to Meadowlands Hospital, where it was discovered that his left orbital socket had been fractured in the attack.
Police traced the license plate number and obtained surveillance tapes from Walmart. After reaching out to Gomez “trying to figure out what his side of the story was,” he was arrested when he arrived at headquarters at 10 p.m. that same day, said Cannella.
Judge Nino Falcone set his bail at $20,000 with no 10 percent option. Gomez paid bail a little after midnight and was released.
Cannella said that Gomez is not cooperating. While they do not believe the unidentified male was involved in the physical attack, they are trying to find him because, while they do not know what his involvement was, “…he was [allegedly] the one who started it.”
Police catch alleged gas station robber
After allegedly committing a string of armed gas station robberies, Frederick V. Agodon, 33, of Ridgefield was arrested by Teaneck police after the robbery of a Teaneck gas station on Tuesday, according to police.
North Bergen, Little Ferry, Teaneck, and Ridgefield Park Police, along with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, had been seeking a suspect described as a black male in his mid to late 20s, between 5’10’’ and 5’11’’ with facial hair.
Cannella said that on Jan. 6 a suspect, now believed to be Agodon, stabbed two North Bergen gas station employees with a 4-inch knife at the Gas and Diesel station at 1008 Tonnelle Ave. at 1:50 am during an attempted robbery. The cashier, who refused to hand over the money, was treated for stab wounds to the face, while the attendee was stabbed in the chest. The attack was caught on surveillance video and released to the press and other police stations.
Cannella said on Wednesday that warrants for Agodon were filed on charges of aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession for a weapon for unlawful purpose, but that they did not yet know when they would be picking him up from Bergen County Jail and processing him at their police headquarters.
Township’s cameras result in arrest
According to Cannella, Christopher Sylvestre, 19, of North Bergen, was arrested on Feb. 5 at 11:15 pm for the alleged possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS), 50 Ecstasy pills.
North Bergen’s Operation Center’s employees were monitoring the township’s digital cameras when they observed three individuals known to the department in the area of 61st Street and Durham Avenue.
Township surveillance cameras led to the arrest of a local man on drug charges.
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On his person, officers discovered the alleged drugs. Cannella said no other illegal substances were found.
In addition to possession of a CDS, Sylvestre was charged with possession of CDS on school property (Lincoln School), manufacturing and distributing (based on the amount of pills), and distribution of CDS within 50 feet of a public housing.
In addition to his Union City bail, Sylvestre’s bail was set at $30,000 with no 10 percent option.
Cannella said that according to reports, Sylvestre is a security employee in Weehawken.
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.