Belleville –
At 10:50 a.m. on March 8, Belleville police received a call from the Essex County Prosecutors Office notifying them of an aggravated sexual assault of a juvenile. A Belleville Detective was sent to the prosecutor’s office where he spoke with the child’s mother who said the girl had revealed being sexually assaulted in 2010 while staying at 70 Naples Ave. in the care of the mother’s friend. According to the girl, the friend’s brother was responsible for the sexual attack. Based on the daughter’s statement and an interview conducted at the prosecutor’s office, several criminal charges were authorized by that office. After learning about the charges now pending against him, Daniel A. Rombola, 27, of Kearny turned himself over to Belleville authorities on March 9. At press time, his bail was yet to be determined.
In other Belleville Police news:
Police saw a man walk out of the rear yard of 120 Rutgers St. at 2:11 p.m. and peer into several windows on the first floor of an adjacent apartment building. When the man noticed that police were watching him, he turned and walked in the opposite direction. Police stopped him. Calvin Battle, 53, of Newark was found to have a warrant out of Newark for $264. He was arrested and released on his own recognizance.
March 6
The owner of the Shopper’s Express store at 300 Washington Ave., reported the theft of numerous bundles of Star Ledger newspapers at 3:05 a.m. He told police that he had surveillance video of the crime that showed a man driving a Honda Accord stealing the papers. A man whose car fit the description was later seen at the store taking newspapers from the site. Sharad Pandya, 60, of Nutley was charged with theft and held on $500 bail.
At 2:33 p.m., police responded to a shoplifting call at the K-Mart at 371 Main St. Store detectives told police that John F. Mosca, 38, of Belleville had swapped his shoes with a pair of new ones and attempted to exit the store. He was detained by security until police arrived, Mosca was charged with shoplifting and released on his own recognizance.
At 1:08 a.m., at the intersection of Union Ave. and Tappan Ave., two officers on a motor vehicle stop observed another vehicle traveling northbound on Union Ave. at a slow rate of speed. They noticed smoke coming from the vehicle and attempted to wave the driver down. When the vehicle came close to striking the command unit, police issued loud verbal demands for the vehicle to stop. The 1998 Grey Mitsubishi four-door pulled over. Police noticed that the front passenger side of the car was damaged and the “tire was pinned underneath the car.” When asked for his credentials, the driver stated, “I live in Belleville, I live in Belleville,” multiple times. Police noticed alcohol on the man’s breath and conducted several sobriety tests. He was placed under arrest for D.W. I. and transported to headquarters. While underway, the man turned combative and issued death threats to the arresting officers. Ronny Alexander Gomez, 40, of Belleville was arrested for D.W.I., resisting arrest, two counts of terroristic threats, and numerous motor vehicle summonses. His bail was set at $20,000.
March 5
At 4:43 p.m., police were alerted to a shoplifting at K-Mart, 371 Main St. According to store detectives, John W. Cruz, 21, of Belleville was seen concealing a Nook Tablet in his jacket and attempting to exit the store. He was arrested and charged with shoplifting. His bail was set at $200.
At 12 p.m., Belleville Police were dispatched to the Paterson Police Dept. to pick up 46-year-old Jennifer Fiore. The woman carried a $700 active warrant out of Belleville.
While conducting a random license plate check on Washington Ave., it was learned that the registered owner was driving with a suspended license. It was also learned that the woman carried warrants. Geneequa A. Phillips was arrested and taken to headquarters. Her outstanding warrants included: Newark $500; Union $500; E. Orange $500.
