1. On May 11, 2023, at approximately 11 a.m., Police Officers Ricky Truppner and Shawn
Sodora responded to the 800 block of Hudson Street on reports of a verbal altercation that
escalated into a physical fight between co-workers of an HVAC company. 43-year-old Matthew
Scapicchio of Livingston was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. He was transported
to police headquarters for processing. A complaint was generated, and he was released.
2. On May 11, 2023, officers with the Street Crimes Unit arrested 19-year-old Luis Tamat of
West New York after observing him purchasing a suspected controlled dangerous substance near
318 Harrison St. A search incident to arrest also found drug paraphernalia in the form of a glass
cylinder pipe burnt at one end, commonly used to smoke crack cocaine, in his pocket. Tamat was
arrested and charged with possession of CDS crack cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia,
and defiant trespassing. During the follow up investigation, on May 15, 2023, officers observed
a man known to them as 43-year-old Armando Roman of Hoboken, who was wanted for the
illegal sale of narcotics on May 11, 2023. He was arrested without incident and found to be in
possession of two bags containing a large amount of cash and unregulated cannabis products in
the form of edibles and flowers, as well as an access card to the Hoboken Housing Authority
which did not belong to him. Roman was transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters for
processing and charged with possession with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to
distribute near a school zone, and possession with intent to distribute near public housing. He
was also charged with the sale of CDS crack cocaine, sale of CDS crack cocaine within 1,000
feet of a school zone, and sale of CDS crack cocaine within 500 feet of a Public Housing in
connection with the May 11 incident. These arrests were made following an investigation
prompted by citizen complaint. Read more about this case on the HPD Website’s news section
here: www.hobokenpdnj.gov.
3. On May 12, 2023, at approximately 3:30 a.m. Police Officers Jason Montalvo and Remy
Garcia-Marte responded to the area of Third and Willow Streets on reports of a two-car crash.
Upon arrival, the officers were informed that a driver who crashed his car into a second parked
vehicle, left the scene on foot. They spotted a man, later identified as 22-year-old Angel Fragoso
of Jersey City, fitting the suspect description, heading toward Clinton Street and observed he was
stumbling and staggering. When Fragoso spotted the officers, he dropped items he was holding
and ran off. Officers quickly caught up and handcuffed him. They detected the odor of alcohol
on his breath. Fragoso was charged with resisting arrest and eluding, obstructing the
administration of law, driving while intoxicated, and he was issued multiple motor vehicle
summonses. As per John’s Law he was released into the custody of a responsible adult.
4. On May 14, 2023, at approximately 8:15 p.m., Police Officers Nathaniel Arocho and Mark
Mooreman responded to the Hoboken Terminal, to meet with NJ Transit Police who had
detained a male, later identified as 32-year-old Willie Martin of Jersey City, wanted for punching
a woman at Church Square Park and stealing her phone and wallet on May 10, 2023. Police
Officers Anthony Azzoline and Harold Milne responded to, and took that report, at the Hoboken
Shelter. Martin was charged with robbery and found to have an outstanding warrant in Hudson
County for bail jumping. He was processed at Hoboken Police Headquarters and transported to
the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
5. On May 16, 2023, at approximately 12:30 a.m. Sgt. Roary Miller and Police Officers Shelby
Seickendick, Jessica Arebalo, Harold Milne, Ramon Calderon, Daniel Barron, Jason Montalvo,
and Mark Mooreman responded to a vehicle fire the area of 320 Garden St. Members of the
Hoboken Fire Department safely extinguished the fire and arson investigator Andrew Frey was
dispatched to the scene. Surveillance video from a nearby residence showed an individual with
cardboard near the vehicle pulling something from his pocket, after which the car ignites into
flames and the man leaves the area. Surveillance from nearby stores provided officers with a
description and they quickly observed a man fitting that description, later identified as 54-yearold Elpidio Vazquez, no known address. A search of Vazquez found two lighters. He was
arrested, transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters, charged with aggravated arson and
criminal mischief, and transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
6. On May 16, 2023, Police Officers Harry Montalvo and Domenick Allegretta were on routine
patrol around 300 Marshall Dr. at approximately 6:40 p.m., when they observed two unknown
men sitting on the steps behind 232 Harrison St. As they approached the men, later identified as
41-year-old Marcus Morales of Hoboken and 45-year-old Richard Motichka of Jersey City,
Morales placed an item that was in his lap, into his pocket. Officers asked for the item, which
was a cylindrical glass pipe burnt on both sides with wired mesh on the inside, commonly used
to smoke suspected CDS Crack Cocaine. At that point, other officers arrived on the scene and
Morales was placed under arrest for possession of drug paraphernalia. A search incident to arrest
of Morales also found him in possession of another glass pipe, six used hypodermic syringes,
and one large clear zip lock bag containing green leafy vegetation suspected to be unregulated
marijuana. Morales was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and released with a court
date. A search incident to arrest of Motichika found him in possession of two cylindrical pipes,
one burnt on both sides. Further investigation found him to have outstanding warrants out of
Hudson County, West New York, and Hoboken. He was transported to Hoboken Police
Headquarters where he was processed and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and
bail jumping. He was taken to the West New York Police Department to be processed on the
warrant there, and then transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
7. On May 16, 2023, the Hoboken Police Department’s Investigations Bureau arrested 20-yearold Jaliyl Johnson of Bayonne, following a 14-month investigation into a carjacking and
shooting. On March 28, 2022, Johnson approached a man who was in his car between 540 and
560 Marshall Dr., pulled a gun out of his waistband, and pointed it at the victim’s head. When
the victim ran out of the car, Johnson fired a shot in his direction. No one was physically injured
in the shooting. Johnson fled the scene in the victim’s stolen vehicle which was driven by a
juvenile. The juvenile turned himself in a few days after the incident and was charged with
carjacking, conspiracy to commit carjacking, possession of a firearm for unlawful purpose,
unlawful possession of a firearm, and aggravated assault. On May 16, 2023 Johnson was
identified, arrested without incident, and charged with criminal attempted murder, conspiracy to
commit murder, carjacking, conspiracy to commit carjacking, employing a juvenile in the
commission of a crime, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of
a weapon, use of a juvenile in an automobile theft, receiving stolen property, aggravated assault
pointing a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a person under 21-years-old. For more on this
investigation head to the HPD website’s news section at: www.hobokenpdnj.gov.
*Charges are merely accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty*
