Oct. 27
At 2 a.m., Officers Luis Moran and Frank West responded to a report of a fight on Sanford Ave. where one resident had complained to another about loud music. The individual who had asked that the volume be lowered was reportedly answered by a punch in the face. He was taken by Kearny EMS to St. Michael’s Medical Center in Newark. The alleged assailant, Immer Gonzalez, 29, of Kearny, was arrested on an outstanding warrant from Fort Lee.
At 8:15 p.m., the KPD was advised that a female passenger under the age of consent had been fondled and groped by an adult male earlier that day in a vehicle on Passaic Ave. Based on information provided to him, Det. Ray Lopez developed a suspect, identified as Ivan Morales, 38, of Belleville. Dets. Scott Traynor and Michael Farinola located Morales the next day in Belleville and arrested him on a complaint of criminal sexual contact. His bail was set at $2,500.
Oct. 29
Lt. Anthony Gouveia was on patrol at 8:15 a.m. on the 100 block of Brighton Ave. when he placed under surveillance two men he saw sharing a 24-oz. can of Budweiser while apparently scoping out homes and driveways. When they entered one driveway, Gouveia followed and confronted them in the backyard. One stayed at the scene; one began to walk away, ignoring the officer’s caution to stop and had to be restrained, police said. Charged criminally with defiant trespass and with a town ordinance complaint for public drinking were Angel Quezada, 30, and Julio Sactadriga, 46. Neither of them, police said, could provide a home address.
Oct. 30
Officer Brian Wisely was on patrol on Hoyt St. off Schuyler Ave. at 3:30 p.m. when he saw two individuals, who he knew to be under age, drinking from cans of Coors, police said. They discarded the beer and began walking away, but as Wisely approached, police said, he noticed that one had what appeared to be a hypodermic needle in a shirt pocket. The suspect, Denis Caballero, 19, of Kearny, reportedly was found to have three needles. His companion, Christopher Henry, 19, of Harrison, allegedly was in possession of two more. Both were charged with possession of the hypodermics, underage possession of alcohol and drinking in public.
Officer Chris Levchak responded to Walmart at 4:45 p.m. on a report of an employee allegedly making fraudulent returns of merchandise — gift cards in excess of $500. Arrested and charged with theft by deception was Megan Johnson, 25, of Bayonne.
Oct. 31
On Oct. 22, a chainsaw, hedge trimmer and leaf blower, worth a total of about $1,000, were reported stolen from a landscaper’s truck in a Passaic Ave. lot. On Oct. 30, Clifton police notified Kearny that there had been similar thefts in their jurisdiction.
At 10 a.m., Oct. 31, near the intersection of the Belleville Pike and Kearny Ave., Lt. Gouveia saw a truck loaded with “numerous tools and construction equipment,” including items — reportedly in plain view — matching the description of those stolen in Clifton, police said.
In connection with the Kearny crime, the truck operator, David Benzaleski, 28, of North Arlington, was charged with receiving stolen property. Clifton detectives interviewed him at KPD headquarters, and he was turned over to their custody.
–Karen Zautyk
