Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of 49-year-old DIOGENES A. ROSARIO of New York, NY; 38-year-old LEONEL PEREZ of New York, NY; and 38-year-old MISAEL DIAZ of Yonkers, NY, on charges stemming from a home invasion and robbery. The arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Cliffside Park Police Department under the direction of Chief Marc Marano.
On Saturday, October 12, 2024, at approximately 1:50 a.m., the Cliffside Park Police Department responded to a home invasion at a multi-family residence on Crescent Lane. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad was notified, responded, and initiated a joint investigation with the Cliffside Park Police Department into the incident. During the initial stages of investigation, law enforcement was informed that three male suspects forced entry into the victims’ residence. The suspects were wearing dark-colored clothing, facemasks, and outwardly displaying imitation police-style badges, portraying themselves as police officers. Once inside, the suspects forcibly restrained three victims, two of whom were under the age of 14. Three additional juveniles remained asleep in the residence during the robbery. Once the victims who were awake were restrained, the suspects ransacked the residence and removed valuables.
As the investigation progressed in the days ahead, detectives identified a vehicle with a stolen license plate that was utilized by the suspects to travel to and from the scene of the crime in Cliffside Park. Additional investigative work eventually led to the identification of DIOGENES A. ROSARIO, LEONEL PEREZ, and MISAEL DIAZ as the suspects responsible for the home-invasion robbery/kidnapping.
On Wednesday, October 30, 2024, with the assistance of the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad located and arrested DIOGENES A. ROSARIO at a residence in Ridgefield, NJ. ROSARIO was taken into custody and remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a future court appearance.
Simultaneously, on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad, alongside members of the New York City Police Department’s 33rd Precinct, located and arrested LEONEL PEREZ in New York City. Additionally, with the assistance of the New York City Police Department, detectives executed a court-authorized search warrant at a residence in New York City linked to both PEREZ and DIOGENES A. ROSARIO. PEREZ was transferred into the custody of the New York City Department of Corrections – Rikers Island Jail, pending extradition to Bergen County, New Jersey.
On Friday, November 1, 2024, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yonkers (NY) Police Department, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad located and arrested MISAEL DIAZ in Yonkers, NY. DIAZ was placed in custody and remanded to the Westchester County Jail, pending extradition to Bergen County, New Jersey.
DIOGENIS A. ROSARIO, LEONEL PEREZ, and MISAEL DIAZ were each charged with three counts of first-degree kidnapping, N.J.S.A. 2C:13-b(1); second-degree robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1(a)(1); second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1/2C:15-1(a)(1); third-degree burglary, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2(a)(1); third-degree theft, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3(a); two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(a)(2); and fourth-degree impersonating a law enforcement officer, N.J.S.A. 2C:28-8(b).
Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations, and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella thanks the Cliffside Park Police Department and the New York City Police Department for their assistance throughout this case. Prosecutor Musella also thanks and recognizes the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation (New York Violent Crimes & Safe Streets Task Force), Ridgefield Police Department, and the Yonkers (NY) Police Department for their assistance and coordination in the apprehension of these individuals.