On December 28, 2023, at approximately 11:15 a.m., Detectives John Quinones and Samuel
Flores were patrolling the 100 block of Eighth Street when they observed a man, later identified
as 57-year-old Angelo Gomez of Hoboken, taking a package from the steps of a home. As they
exited their car and approached, they saw Gomez rip open the package. The contents of the
package were worth approximately $125. Gomez was placed under arrest. Sgt. Steven Kranz and
Police Officer William Oquendo arrived on scene and transported Gomez to Hoboken Police
Headquarters. Gomez was processed on theft charges and released on a summons.
On December 29, 2023, at approximately 7:25 a.m., Sgt. Luke Zeszotarski and Police Officers
Andrias Bonilla, Keven De La Cruz, Anthony Ingraffia, and Michael Straten responded to
ACME, 614 Clinton St. on reports of a shoplifting. Store employees provided officers with
photos and a description of the actor who had taken approximately $144 worth of merchandise
and left the store walking south on Clinton Street. He was seen outside the Hoboken Volunteer
Ambulance Corps, 707 Clinton St. Police Officers Joseph Lupo, Jonathan Figueroa, and Joshua
Campoverde arrived on the scene. When approached, the actor originally gave officers the wrong
name and birthdate. Sgt. Adam Colon arrived and recognized him as 49-year-old Phillip Realpe
of Hoboken from prior interactions. He was found to have an outstanding warrant out of
Hoboken for shoplifting. He was arrested and a search incident to arrest found a small glass
cylindrical jar containing a white powdery substance suspected to be CDS. Realpe was
transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters and charged with shoplifting, hindering
apprehension, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
On December 29, 2023, at approximately 2:40 p.m., Police Officer David Chicara and Geovanni
Cruzado were flagged down near the intersection of Third and Jefferson Streets by a resident
who had seen a suspicious person they believed was doing drugs on the steps of a residential
building. Officers saw a woman who fit the description given and when they approached her,
they observed a small glass cylindrical tube with burnt ends which is commonly used to for
CDS, in her hand. The woman, identified as 24-year-old Jessica Sugrim of Hoboken, was
arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, and then transported to Hoboken Police
Headquarters. Sugrim was found to have a warrant from Jersey City and two warrants from
Newark. She was transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
On December 29, 2023, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Police Officer Christopher Barral was
approached outside of Hoboken Police Headquarters by a man who said his backpack containing
approximately $1,000 had been stolen off his bicycle on the 200 block of Washington Street
earlier that evening. The next day, on December 30, 2023, at approximately 9:05 p.m., Police
Officers Marc Lombardi and Keven De La Cruz, responded to Mamoun’s Falafel, 300
Washington St., where the victim saw the person who stole the backpack, later identified as 22-
year-old Erick Mercedes Morel of Jersey City. He was arrested for theft and transported to
Hoboken Police Headquarters for processing, after which he was released on a summons.
On December 30, 2023, at approximately 12:40 a.m., Police Officer Marc Lombardi responded
to the intersection of 12th and Madison Streets for reports of a motor vehicle crash. Upon arrival
he observed an open bottle of alcoholic beverage inside one of the cars. The driver of that
vehicle, later identified as 36-year-old Brittany Brown of Jersey City, was given a field sobriety
test by Police Officer Andrias Bonilla after which Brown was arrested for driving while
intoxicated. Police Officer Keven De La Cruz also arrived on the scene. Brown was transported
to Hoboken Police Headquarters and issued additional summonses for having an open container
inside a motor vehicle, reckless driving, failure to exhibit insurance, and for driving without
insurance. As per John’s Law she was released into the custody of a responsible party.
On December 30, 2023, at approximately 4:40 a.m., Police Officer Anthony Ingraffia and
Michael Straten were patrolling near the intersection of First and Washington Streets when they
observed a car going the wrong direction at what appeared to be a high rate of speed. They also
saw the car fail to stop at red traffic lights. The officers activated their emergency lights and
conducted a motor vehicle stop on the 800 block of Washington Street. The driver, identified as
23-year-old Courtney Wasilewski of Totowa, did not have her driver’s license, registration, or
insurance card when first asked. Officers observed her speech was slurred and noticed an odor of
alcoholic beverages emanating from the vehicle. She eventually gave officers the registration and
insurance for the vehicle she was operating. Police Officer Anthony Rutkowski arrived on scene
to conduct a field sobriety test, after which Wasilewski was arrested for driving under the
influence. She was transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters and issued additional
summonses for reckless driving, failure to observe traffic signals, and failure to exhibit
documents. As per John’s Law, she was released into the custody of a responsible party.
On December 30, 2023, at 12:45 p.m., Police Officer Anthony Rutkowski responded to the 300
block of Washington Street on reports of a car that hit another parked vehicle. As the officer got
there, the suspect vehicle was driving away. The officer followed the vehicle and when he
observed it cross the center double lines, he activated his emergency lights and sirens to conduct
a motor vehicle stop. The vehicle did not immediately stop, but instead continued driving
northbound another block and a half. As the vehicle was pulling over, it struck another parked
vehicle. The driver, later identified as 44-year-old Silvestre Corona-Melendez of West New
York, was observed to have droopy and bloodshot eyes. A strong odor of alcoholic beverage was
emanating from his breath. Sgt. Francis McCourt and Police Officers Geovanni Cruzado, Rose
Kanan, and Daniel Barron responded to the scene. Officer Rutkowski conducted a field sobriety
test, after which Corona-Melendez was arrested for driving while intoxicated. He was
transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters, processed, and issued additional summonses for
reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. As per John’s Law, he was released into
the custody of a responsible party.
On December 30, 2023, at approximately 5:45 p.m., Police Officers Paul Quinn and Nicholas
Losurdo were on the 400 block of Washington Street when they observed a woman, later
identified as 53-year-old Bonnie Brickman of Hoboken, pacing back and forth in front of the 7-
Eleven, 422Washington St., approaching people passing by. When someone gave her money, she
walked into the store. When she walked out, a man, later identified as 20-year-old Terrance
McDonald of Elizabeth, followed her out and the two walked around the corner. Officers
followed and witnessed McDonald and Brickman conduct a narcotics transaction. The officers
approached and identified themselves as law enforcement. They took possession of the CDS and
arrested the pair. Police Officers Marc Lombardi, Keven De La Cruz, and Chelsea Tamborra
responded to assist. Brickman’s property was searched and copper mesh, a glass cylinder pipe,
and a cylinder viral with residue were found. A search incident to arrest of McDonald located a
clear sandwich bag with four packages containing suspected CDS, believed to be packaged for
distribution. They were transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters. Brickman had an active
warrant out of Woodlynne Borough. She was released on that warrant with a new court date. She
was further charged with possession of CDS, possession of prescription legend drugs without a
prescription, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was released from custody. McDonald
was charged with possession of CDS, possession with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a
public park, possession to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, and distributing CDS. He was
transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
On December 31, 2023, at approximately 8:25 p.m., Police Officers Daniel Barron, Daniel
Grossi, Nicholas Losurdo, and Paul Quinn, responded to the 500 block of Grand Street on reports
of a man in the lobby of a building holding a stick with screws sticking out. The man left before
officers arrived, but while speaking with witnesses, they saw a man near the intersection of Fifth
and Grand Streets holding a stick. Officers recognized him as 46-year-old Benjamin Brito of
Jersey City and observed three light bulbs in his right jacket pocket. It was learned he took the
bulbs from the building he had just left. He was placed under arrest and a search incident to
arrest located two amazon packages that did not belong to him, an open beer can in his pocket,
and an unused capped hypodermic syringe. He was transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters
and charged with burglary and theft. He was also issued a complaint for having an open
container. He was transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
On January 1, 2024, at approximately 1 a.m., Police Officers Rose Kanan and Nick
Protopapdakis encountered a man, later identified as 31-year-old Ricardo Grant of Union City,
arguing with bystanders. Grant appeared to be intoxicated and was yelling obscenities at
bystanders he was trying to fight. Officers advised him to leave the area several times, which he
eventually did when his friend guided him away. About an hour later, the officers responded to
Mad Hatter, 221 Washington St., on reports of a female who had passed out and they saw Grant
arguing with security staff. Grant was told he was being arrested for disorderly conduct, and he
tensed his arms in an attempt to prevent arrest. He raised his arm, hitting one of the officers with
the back of his hand. Once he was properly handcuffed, he was transported to Hoboken Police
Headquarters by Police Officers Sodora and Aaron Font. During processing Grant began to yell
and threatened to kill officers. He was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement
officer, resisting arrest, making terrorist threats, and disorderly conduct. He was released on a
summons.
On January 1, 2024, at approximately 3:05 a.m., Police Officers Enrico Gnassi and Anthony
Rutkowski responded to the 500 block of Jackson Street on reports of a woman in the hall of a
building with a gun. An investigation on-scene revealed that there was no woman with a gun.
The officers met with the original caller, 35-year-old Dabra Goad of Hoboken, who became
irate, ignored officer questions, and began yelling and screaming. Sgt. James Barbro and Police
Officers Jesse Castellano, Shawn Sodora, Aaron Font, and Joseph Spano arrived on scene. When
Goad calmed down, officers left the scene, but about ten minutes later they responded to the
same building on reports of an altercation in the stairwell. They observed Goad fighting with
multiple residents. When she was told she was under arrest for disorderly conduct, she pushed
officers away and tried to go inside an apartment. She was charged with resisting arrest and
disorderly conduct and released on a summons.
