Recent News
$2M in heroin, cocaine seized in Paterson; called ‘major dent’ in region’s street trade
JOE MALINCONICO Oct 24, 2015, 1:03 PM
In a case that local officials are calling the largest heroin seizure in Paterson’s history, federal agents and local law enforcement officers confiscated 18 kilograms of heroin and 20 kilograms of cocaine in a raid early Friday morning at a warehouse in the northeast corner of the city, authorities said.
Authorities put the wholesale value of the drugs at more than $2 million and said the heroin and cocaine would have been worth far more than that when broken down for sale on the streets.
Paterson man accused in previous homicide arrested on murder charges in new case
JOE MALINCONICO Oct 23, 2015 10:29 AM
PATERSON – City detectives investigating an Oct. 6 homicide in the 4th Ward have arrested a third suspect — a man who last December had been apprehended in connection with another fatal shooting in the same neighborhood, according to authorities.
Police said the suspect, 31-year-old Marquise Fields, was apprehended about 10 p.m. Wednesday at 12th Avenue and East 22nd Street – the same location where the fatal shooting had taken place 15 days earlier.
Police: Two alleged drug dealers arrest with gun and heroin in Paterson raid
JOE MALINCONICO Oct 21, 2015
PATERSON – Narcotics detectives seized a handgun loaded with illegal hollow-point bullets during a raid at a 1st Ward home on Tuesday evening that resulted in the arrests of two accused drug dealers, authorities said.
"Those that think they can hide inside a location and sell drugs are only fooling themselves as we will continue to rid our city of illegal drugs," said Paterson Police Director Jerry Speziale.
The raid, which netted more than 500 packets of heroin, took place at 8 North 4th Street at about 5 pm, police said.
Paterson looking to finalize contract with acting police chief
JOE MALINCONICO Oct 20, 2015
PATERSON — The city’s lawyers have negotiated a tentative contract for Paterson Police Chief William Fraher, an agreement that would shape his severance payment when he reaches mandatory retirement age in 2017, officials said.
But officials have not yet revealed details of the agreement, which must be approved by the state as well as the City Council.
With four decades on the job, Fraher has been serving as “acting” chief without a contract since February 2012, after his predecessor, James Wittig, retired.
N.J. flags to fly at half-staff for Paterson soldier killed in training exercise
BY JOE MALINCONICO Oct 19, 2015
PATERSON – Flags at New Jersey’s state buildings will fly at half-staff on Wednesday in honor of Patersonian Kevin Rodriguez, an infantryman in the United States Army who was shot and killed on Oct. 8 in a training exercise near Fort Campbell in Kentucky.
“Specialist Rodriguez was a loving son and brother, whose memory lives in the hearts of his family, friends, and fellow soldiers,” said Governor Chris Christie in a news release. “Specialist Rodriguez’ heroism, dedication, and commitment to service and country make it appropriate and fitting for the State of New Jersey to remember him, to mark his passing, and to honor his memory.”
Paterson teenager arrested on gun charges
BY JOE MALINCONICO Oct 17, 2015
PATERSON – After getting an anonymous tip, police arrested an 18-year-old city man whom they say had a handgun outside a Park Avenue liquor store on Friday night, authorities said.
The suspect, Delshawn Wright, was charged with weapons offenses as well as possession of illegal hollow-point bullets, said Jerry Speziale, director of the city police department. Wright was arrested near 309 Park Ave. at about 9:40 p.m. by city police officers Tyseme Holmes, Rocco Galiano and Ivan Hicks.
“The officers approached the suspect fitting the description provided when they saw him discard (the weapon) under a car,” said Speziale.
Two suspects arrested in Paterson murder case
JOE MALINCONICO October 16, 2015
PATERSON – Marc Eason was released from prison on Sept. 23, according to state corrections records. Byron Stevenson got out of jail a day later. Neither of them was able to get through a month on the outside without getting into trouble.Eason, 21, was fatally shot on Oct. 6 at the notorious corner of 12th Avenue and East 22nd Street. On Wednesday, Paterson police arrested 24-year-old Stevenson and charged him with murder in connection with Eason’s death, authorities said. Victor Sanders
Paterson police Capt. Heriberto Rodriguez declined to say what police believe was the motive in the killing. He also would not say whether the victim and his alleged killer knew each other or had come into contact while the two men were incarcerated.
Paterson man gets 12-year prison term in Pa. conviction of transporting 65,000 heroin packets
By JOE MALINCONICO October 15, 2015,
PATERSON – At age 38, Ronald Carter of Paterson has never held a legal job, according to the Monroe County (Pa.) District Attorney’s Office. Instead Carter spent a “significant portion of his adult life incarcerated for various crimes,” including three drug dealing convictions, said the district attorney’s office in a news release.
Carter’s fourth drug conviction - one stemming from his January 2014 arrest on Route 80 in Pennsylvania with 65,000 heroin packets hidden in the trunk of the rented car in which he was riding – will put him back in prison for a minimum of another 12.5 years, according to authorities.
Two employees at Paterson liquor store arrested in drug bust
JOE MALICONICO October 13, 2015
PATERSON – Narcotics detectives investigating Hascup’s Liquor Store on 12th Avenue on Tuesday morning confiscated a loaded assault rifle along with $7,141, while arresting two employees on drug dealing charges, police said.
The employees, a man and woman who live at the same address in Hawthorne, were charged with possession and intent to distribute 240 packets of heroin as well as weapons offenses, police said.
The money was stashed in various locations in the store, police said. Only a small amount was inside the cash register, police said. The drugs and gun – a KelTec .223 caliber assault rifle – were in the counter area, police said. The bust was made at 11 a.m., police said.
Paterson police officers find two boxes of bullets at abandoned house
BY JOE MALINCONICO October 12, 2015
PATERSON — Two city police officers responding to a call about trespassers at an abandoned house in the 1st Ward at noon on Sunday ended up finding two boxes with bullets inside them, authorities said.
The officers, Jason DeLucca and Edgar Garcia, found the boxes in the rear porch area at an empty house on North 4th Street, police said. One box contained 43 .40 caliber Remington bullets, while the other had 19 9mm Luger rounds, police said.
Police: Three suspects arrested in $20,000 armed robbery at Paterson dollar store.
JOE MALICONICO October 9, 2015
PATERSON – City detectives have arrested three Paterson men on robbery charges in connection with a heist last weekend that netted more than $20,000 from a Paterson dollar store, police said. A fourth suspect remains at large, authorities said.
Paterson police officer finds .357 Magnum in trash can
JOE MALINCONICO October 9, 2015
PATERSON – Responding to a tip, city police officer Michael Sisco found a .357 Magnum handgun in a trash can in South Paterson on Thursday afternoon, police said.
Sisco found the gun at about 3:45 p.m. in a trash can near 960 Main Street, police said. The weapon was inside a plastic bag, police said.
Police: Loaded gun seized and six people arrested in Paterson drug bust.
BY JOE MALINCONICO
October 9, 2015, 11:56 AM
PATERSON – Narcotics detectives on Thursday seized a semi-automatic handgun loaded with illegal bullets along with 273 grams of marijuana and 80 packets of heroin in a drug bust in the 3rd Ward, police said.
Three suspected drug dealers and three alleged buyers were arrested during the operation, which took place at about 9:40 pm on East 17th Street near the Riverside Oval, according to Paterson Police Director Jerry Speziale.
Paterson murder suspect held on $1M bail after extradition from New York
BY JOE MALINCONICO
October 8, 2015, 4:07 PM
PATERSON – Local authorities took custody this week of a 28-year-old Florida man accused of murder in a fatal shooting in an apartment on Rosa Parks Boulevard in October 2014, police said. The suspect, Kinanchy Deaza, had been arrested at his home in Naples, Florida in March and initially was extradited to New York, where authorities wanted him for a parole violation.
Two men arrested on gun charges after reports of shooting on Paterson street
BY JOE MALINCONICO
October 5, 2015, 1:03 PM
Detectives investigating gunfire in the 1st Ward early Sunday morning arrested two men who authorities say threw two loaded handguns out of a minivan as they were being pursued by police, officials said.
The city's Shot-Spotter systems detected gun shots at about 3:05 am near North Main and Jefferson streets, said Police Director Jerry Speziale. Detectives Mario Formentin and Mohan Singh were heading to the area when they saw a silver minivan speeding down North 1st Street, away from the reported shooting, the director said.