Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of JOURDEN BATTLE, 24, of Tobyhanna, PA, on the charge of theft by extortion. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck.
In April 2024, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit received information from the Mahwah Police Department and initiated an investigation into a pattern of text and online messages that involved an unknown user who utilized various online accounts and phone numbers to extort a victim for nude photos, which began on the popular social media application Snapchat. A months-long investigation by detectives to trace the phone numbers and online accounts used to contact the victim revealed that they belonged to JOURDEN BATTLE, a resident of Tobyhanna, PA.
As a result of the investigation, on Monday, August 5, 2024, JOURDEN BATTLE was charged with second-degree theft by extortion, N.J.S.A 2C:20-5(g). On Wednesday, August 7, 2024, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit travelled to Tobyhanna, PA and executed a search warrant at BATTLE’s residence with the coordination and assistance of the Monroe County, PA District Attorney’s Office – Division of Criminal Investigations and the Pocono County, PA Regional Police Department. BATTLE was arrested pursuant to the charge filed in Bergen County, NJ and remanded to the Monroe County, PA Jail pending extradition.
Prosecutor Musella states that the charge is merely an accusation, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella thanks the Mahwah Police Department for its assistance with this investigation, as well as the Monroe County Division of Criminal Investigations, and the Pocono County Regional Police Department for their assistance in the apprehension of the defendant.