Two women customers got more than they bargained for when they went shopping at Walmart last month. On separate occasions, a Bayonne man reportedly engaged in a “lewd and lacivious act” in the store. He managed to get away after the initial offense but was apprehended after the second, police reported.
Kearny Police Chief John Dowie said the first report was received about 5 p.m. April 5. Officer Richard Carbone responded and interviewed the witness, but the culprit had fled. The case was turned over to Det. Scott Traynor, and at 2 p.m. on April 25, another report came in.
Det. Michael Gonzalez and Officer John Fabula were dispatched, learned that the suspect — who matched the description of the prior offender — was thought to still be on the premises, and located and arrested David Harper, 44.
In case you’re wondering exactly what the lewd act was, note that Harper allegedly had his hand down his pants when he was found. He was taken to headquarters and charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact.
Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:
April 25
At 2:15 p.m., Officer Jay Ward responded to Kearny and Garfield Aves. to interview an Irvington woman who reported that her iPad had apparently been stolen. She provided a description of the suspect, and Det. Mark McCaffrey subsequently located him on the 500 block of Kearny Ave., in possession of the iPad, police said. As the detective was arresting the 15-year-old Jersey City youth, a 16-year-old Kearny male intervened and then tried to push past McCaffrey and Officer Luis Moran, police said. That juvenile was charged with obstruction.
At 8:15 p.m., on the 300 block of Kearny Ave., Officers Fabula and Jordenson Jean observed a man they knew to be the subject of a North Arlington warrant. After confirming this, they arrested Dominick Assis, 22, of Belleville and notified North Arlington authorities.
Vice Squad detectives, pursuant to an ABC-related investigation of the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors, visited a local bar at 10 p.m. and reportedly witnessed an underage male consuming alcohol. Edward Cruz, 19, of Harrison was subsequently charged with that offense and was also allegedly found to be in possession of marijuana. Additionally, the bartender, Michael Schmidt, 19, of Kearny, was charged with serving alcohol to a minor.
April 27
Officer Ward, on patrol on the 800 block of Kearny Ave. at 3:20 p.m., spotted a parked 2008 Acura blocking a crosswalk, checked his mobile computer, and found that the driver had a suspended license and a warrant out of Clinton Township, police said. Joseph Familia, 29, of Jersey City, was arrested on the warrant and charged with the MV offenses, and Clinton authorities were notified.
April 28
Officer Jose Canela responded to a trespass complaint on the 400 block of Chestnut St. at 12:40 p.m. and arrested Shaeed Epps, 36, of no known address, on outstanding warrants from Kearny and Elizabeth. Epps was remanded to the Hudson County Jail.
At 6 p.m., Officers Ward and Jean responded to a report from Amtrak security of a trespasser on railroad property near the Belleville Pike viaduct.
After searching the area, they arrested Samuel Greene, 67, of South Orange, on a charge of defiant trespass.
Officers Daniel Esteves and Brian Wisely responded to Walmart at 9 p.m. on the report of a shoplifter who was trying to steal two 55-inch flat-screen TVs, worth a total of $1,996. Charged with theft/ shoplifting was David Garrison, 29, of Harrison, who police said also had two outstanding Kearny warrants. His bail was set at $2,500.
April 29
Responding to an 8:15 a.m. report about a suspicious individual on the Belleville Pike, west of Kearny Ave., Officer Joseph Vulcano located Carlos Sanchez, 29, of Newark. Police said Sanchez was found to be in possession of four bags of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and was charged on those counts.
At 6 p.m., Vice detectives spotted a “known narcotics offender” in a car at Harrison and Bergen Aves. and stopped the vehicle at Elm St. and Seeley Ave. Kearny resident Eugene McKiernan, 47, who reportedly has a record of 13 prior arrests, was arrested again after, police said, he turned over two vials of suspected crack cocaine and a fold of suspected heroin, stamped “Sexy B—h.”
Officers Wisely and Esteves responded to the report of a dispute at 9 p.m. on the 700 block of Kearny Ave. to interview the alleged aggressor, William Nash, 23, of Kearny. In his car, police said, the officers saw rolling papers, an unmarked prescription bottle and a plastic container, found to hold marijuana-laced cookies. Nash allegedly also had a plastic bag of pot on his person. He was charged with possession of more than 50 grams of the drug, possession of a CDS with intent to distribute, possession of a CDS in a motor vehicle and possession of drug paraphernalia.
May 1
On April 25, the owner of a garage on the 100 block of Laurel Ave. reported the theft of a power drill, staple gun, sander, soldering gun and toolbox. Officer Steven Hroncich took the initial report, Det. Bryant Obie investigated and developed a suspect, and at noon on this date, on Laurel, Hroncich arrested Maria Rojas, 56, of Kearny on charges of burglary and theft. Police said the tools were recovered.
– Karen Zautyk
