Two Harrison men were arrested separately on drug charges last week, one while he was driving into the town, one at his home. Police said the accused are brothers.
At 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24, Kearny Vice Squad officers spotted a Toyota Camry traveling from Kearny into Harrison on Harrison Ave. and were aware that the driver had a suspended license and a contempt-ofcourt warrant from North Arlington, KPD Chief John Dowie said.
After Dino Bermudez, 30, was taken into custody, a search incident to arrest revealed he was in possession of 30 Oxycontin tablets, police reported. He was charged with possession of a CDS, possession with intent to distribute, possession of a CDS in a motor vehicle and in/near a school zone.
Several hours later, Vice cops, armed with a search warrant, visited the Bermudez residence and reported recovering 50 glassine bags of heroin, stamped “Sin City”; 50 folds of heroin, stamped “Superman”; $149 in currency and several cell phones.
Marcos Bermudez, 31, was charged with possession and distribution of the drug, distribution in a school zone and possession of drug paraphernalia.
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Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:
Sept. 19
At 9 a.m., School Resource Officer Steven Montanino, assigned to Kearny High School, advised headquarters he had arrested a 15-year-old student who was involved in a physical altercation with school security officers. When Montanino interceded, police said, the youth continued to be aggressive and had to be forcibly handcuffed. He was charged with aggravated assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and was later released to the custody of his father.
Sept. 20
At 9 p.m., Officer John Fabula responded to Walmart on a report of a man assaulting his girlfriend in the parking lot. Police said the officer stopped the suspect’s SUV as it was leaving the property and found that the driver, Luis Diaz, 24, of Elizabeth, had a Newark warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia.
The woman, whom Diaz had left behind in the lot, was advised of her rights but reportedly would not press charges, and since she had no visible injuries, Diaz could not be arrested for domestic violence. He was arrested on the warrant.
Sept. 22
Shortly after midnight, Officers Chris Medina and Ben Wuelfing went to Walmart when store security reported that two men were using a knife to cut open packages. The officers located the suspects near the jewelry department and took into custody Lawrence Roland, 22, and Michael Jones, 25, both of Newark, They were charged with shoplifting, conspiracy, possession of a weapon and possession of burglar tools.
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Officers Chris Levchak and Daniel Esteves, patrolling on the Belleville Pike at 7:45 p.m., saw an eastbound car swerving in the roadway, nearly hitting another vehicle and a concrete divider, police said. After FSTs and an Alcotest, driver Carlos Escaleira, 52, of Garfield was charged with DWI and careless driving.
Sept. 23
Chapter 1: At 2 p.m., after concerned citizens reported an individual entering backyards and driveways on the 200 block of Ivy St., units converged on the area. Near Hickory St. and Oakwood Ave., Chief Dowie spotted and detained the suspect, a 16-year-old Kearny male who reportedly became confrontational under questioning. When backup officers Det. Lt. Anthony Gouveia, Det. Marc McCaffrey and P.O. Philip Finch arrived, McCaffrey recognized the youth from a prior encounter, police said. One of the Ivy St. residents identified the suspect, who was charged with trespassing and obstruction of justice — for allegedly failing to provide ID information. The teen was released to his father’s custody.
Sept. 24
Chapter 2: Officers John Travelino and Jordenson Jean were assigned to monitor dismissal at Kearny High School after “threats of unrest” were made following the earlier ejection of a student from the building. At 2 p.m., they observed the same 16-yearold who had been taken into custody the previous day. (He was not the student who had been ejected.) As they approached the youth, he reportedly ran and appeared to be clutching something in his pocket.
Apprehended, he was found to be in possession of a “large folding knife,” police said. He was charged with obstruction and with unlawful possession of a weapon.
And he was again released to the custody of his father.
– Karen Zautyk
