At 4 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 1, KPD Officer Patrick Becker, responding to a report of a suspicious person lurking near vehicles on the 90 block of Elm St., saw a young man alight from a 2007 Chevy and run north.
After a short foot pursuit, he collared 19-year-old Abner Villanueva of Kearny, who police said had a cut on his hand and was in possession of: a motion detector, a white rope, screwdrivers, several pairs of gloves, one pair of glasses and $215 in cash.
Meanwhile, backup Officer Glenn Reed inspected the Chevy and found another pair of gloves, and an axe, outside the vehicle. The axe had apparently been used to gain entry.
The auto’s owner was contacted and confirmed that he was also the owner of the items in the suspect’s possession, police said.
Villanueva was charged with burglary, criminal mischief and possession of burglar tools and stolen property and was remanded to the Hudson County Jail.
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Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:
Jan. 30
At 4:30 p.m., Sgt. Charles Smith, on patrol near Grand Place and the Belleville Pike, spotted Brandon Hidalgo, 18, of Newark, whom he knew to be wanted on a Belleville warrant. After verifying same, he arrested Hidalgo and took him to headquarters, and the Belleville PD was notified.
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Vice detectives, conducting surveillance at Johnston Ave. and Chestnut St. at 4:45 p.m., witnessed what they believed to be a drug transaction taking place in a motor vehicle. Police said Bernardino Matos, 21, of Harrison, exited the vehicle holding “a large quantity of currency” and was subsequently taken into custody. The car left the scene but was stopped by other detectives at Passaic Ave. and Belgrove Drive, where its occupant, Guy Bartolomei, 52, of Nutley, was allegedly found to be in possession of a “bundle” of wax folds of heroin, stamped “Scorpion.”
Bartolomei was charged with possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia; Matos, with distribution of heroin, distribution in a school zone and possession of paraphernalia. Police also seized from him $115, believed to be the proceeds of a drug deal.
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Officer Brian Wisely, approaching a parked car at Bergen Ave. and Devon St. at 9 p.m., saw what appeared to be loose marijuana scattered on the floor and the male occupant apparently trying to hide something between the seats. Police said Wisely recovered three cigars and two ripped-open ziplock bags containing pot. Joaopaulo Silva-Neto, 18, of Kearny, was charged with possession of the drug and paraphernalia.
Feb. 3
Kearny residents Robert Conlin, 32, and Elizabeth Kempf, 34, were arrested by Sgt. Peter Gleason and Officer Jay Ward at 8:30 p.m. at a Davis Ave. residence on charges of unlawful possession of a loaded shotgun, an assault rifle, two blackjacks, a can of OC spray and a large-capacity magazine containing ammunition for the assault rifle.
If this sounds familiar, that is because Conlin was taken into custody on similar weapons charges Jan. 22 following a verbal altercation with another man at his Linden Ave. home. After a follow-up investigation by Det. Scott Traynor, additional charges were drawn up against both Conlin and Kempf, and warrants for their arrest were issued Feb. 1.
At the time of the second arrest, Conlin was reportedly free on $45,000 bail.
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Pursuant to an ongoing prostitution investigation, Vice detectives were at Highland Ave. and Patterson St. for a 9:15 p.m. “rendezvous.” Arriving at the scene was a 2011 Mitsubishi with Pennsylvania plates, a vehicle police reportedly determined had been stolen in Elizabeth earlier that day.
The female driver, Ryanashle Robinson, 27, of Red Bank, was charged with engaging in prostitution, receiving stolen property and driving while suspended.
Police said she also had two warrants, from Newark and Monmouth County. She was remanded to the Hudson County Jail.
Her passenger, Michael Williams, 29, of Newark, was charged with receiving stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia — a crack pipe.
Feb. 4
At 4 p.m., Officer Wisely saw Shaeed Epps, 37, of no known address, entering the Kearny Public Library and confirmed that he had outstanding warrants from Hackensack and Elizabeth. Epps was arrested and was to be turned over to Hackensack police.
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Vice officers near the Wawa on Harrison Ave. at 9 p.m. saw someone in a Kia discard items out the window. Approaching the car to issue a summons for littering, they reportedly detected the odor of marijuana and asked the occupant, Alexis Espinal, 24, of Harrison, to illuminate the interior. He complied, and the officers saw two cigars and a napkin containing suspected pot, police said.
Espinal was charged with possession of the drug and paraphernalia. In addition, police said he was found to have an outstanding Harrison warrant. He also got the summons for littering.
– Karen Zautyk
