Jonnathan Diaz-Gomez
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 42-year-old JONNATHAN DIAZ-GOMEZ of Elizabeth, NJ, on charges stemming from several residential burglaries in Bergen County, NJ. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Paramus Police Department under the direction of Chief Robert Guidetti.
On Saturday, April 27, 2024, at approximately 8:35 p.m., Officers from the Paramus Police Department responded to an attempted burglary in progress on Ehret Steet in Paramus. The responding Officers observed a vehicle parked, idling and occupied by multiple suspects. An additional male suspect was crouching next to the vehicle. The suspects scattered upon the arrival of the Paramus Police Officers, and two men were taken into custody, including the driver of the vehicle, later identified as JONNATHAN DIAZ-GOMEZ.
As a result of the investigation conducted by the Paramus Police Department, it was determined that the group was planning to burglarize a home, and the driver of that vehicle, JONNATHAN DIAZ-GOMEZ, was charged by the Paramus Police Department in relation to this incident. Specifically, DIAZ-GOMEZ was charged with third-degree conspiracy to commit burglary, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a(1)/N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2a(1); fourth-degree possession of a police scanner, N.J.S.A. 2C:33-22; and possession of burglary tools, a disorderly persons offense, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-5a. At the time, DIAZ-GOMEZ was ordered released, pending further action by the Bergen County Superior Court.
In the aftermath of this arrest, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Crime Reduction Task Force was contacted about this incident and initiated a joint investigation with the Paramus Police Department in order to determine if the burglary conspiracy was larger than already known. During the course of a multi-jurisdictional investigation that followed, detectives pinpointed three additional residential burglaries that were identified as part of the pattern related to the original Paramus burglary that occurred on April 27, 2024.
More specifically, and through further investigation, detectives determined that on Tuesday, March 26th, 2024, a burglary and theft occurred at a residence on Hickory Avenue in Paramus. In that incident, burglars entered the dwelling via a first-floor window, ransacked the home, and stole valuables. On Sunday, April 7, 2024, a burglary and theft occurred at a residence on Bogert Road in River Edge. In this incident, burglars entered the dwelling via a second-floor bedroom window, ransacked the home, and stole valuables. On Saturday, April 20, 2024, a burglary and theft occurred at a Howland Avenue residence in River Edge. In this incident, burglars entered the home via a first-floor kitchen window and stole a safe from the residence.
As a result of the broader investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Crime Reduction Task Force, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad, and the Paramus Police Department, JONNATHAN DIAZ-GOMEZ was linked to each of these additional incidents. Consequently, and with respect to the March 26, 2024, incident in Paramus, JONNATHAN DIAZ-GOMEZ was further charged with third-degree burglary, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2a (1); and third-degree theft, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a. With respect to the April 7, 2024, incident in River Edge, DIAZ-GOMEZ was further charged with third-degree burglary, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2a (1); and second-degree theft, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a. Finally, regarding the April 20, 2024, incident in River Edge, DIAZ-GOMEZ was further charged with third-degree burglary, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2a (1); and third-degree theft, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a. On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, DIAZ-GOMEZ turned himself in to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office in response to the charges filed in this matter, and he was ordered released pending further action by the Bergen County Superior Court.
Prosecutor Musella states that all of the charges in this case are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella wishes to particularly acknowledge the municipal police departments of Bergen County that are participating in the Crime Reduction Task Force, and whose efforts were instrumental in this investigation, namely: the Paramus Police Department, Saddle River Police Department, Tenafly Police Department, Hasbrouck Heights Police Department and Upper Saddle River Police Department.