1. On July 13, 2023, at approximately 1:15 a.m., Detectives Connor Milne, Fabian
Quinones, and Mark Mullins, observed a man enter the front gated area of a vacant
building on the 900 block of Washington Street. The Detectives saw the man, later
identified as 32-year-old Luis Biascochera of Jersey City, walk toward the
basement. Det. Sgt. William Collins and Police Officers Nicholas Protopapadakis,
and Andria Bonilla arrived to assist. It was discovered Biascochera had a warrant
for his arrest out of Jersey City and he was placed under arrest. A search incident
to arrest found three cylindrical glass pipes containing burnt residue commonly
used to smoke CDS, two metallic rods commonly used to prepare CDS, and a
bundle of copper mesh commonly used as a filter when smoking CDS. Biascochera
was transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters for processing, charged with
possession of drug paraphernalia, and was remanded to the Hudson County
Correctional Facility.
2. On July 13, 2023, at approximately 8:20 a.m., Sgt. Wilfredo Gomez, and Police
Officers Harry Montalvo, Jonathan Figueroa, and Samuel Flores responded to
Shoprite, 900 Madison St., on reports of a shoplifting in progress. When they
arrived, store security pointed out a man, later identified as 49-year-old Phillip
Realpe, of Hoboken who was walking out of the store with a shopping cart full of
groceries totaling $234.45 that he did not pay for. Realpe was placed under arrest
for shoplifting. A search incident to arrest found a clear glass cylindrical pipe and a
prescription pill bottle with no label, that had two white wax-folds containing a
brownish powdery substance suspected to be CDS, and 76 small pink pills. Realpe
was charged with shoplifting, possession of CDS, possession of prescription
legend drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the
Hudson County Correctional Facility.
3. On July 13, 2023, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Sgt. Francis McCourt and Police
Officers Samuel Flores, Christopher Barral, Ramon Estrella, Anthony Hochstadter,
Dominick Allegretta, Anthony Azzoline, and Harry Montalvo, responded to the
Hoboken Shelter, 300 Bloomfield St., for reports of a man with a knife refusing to
leave. Officers were able to get the man, later identified as 29-year-old Jesus
Ortega, of California, outside where they were able to see a knife sticking out of
his pocket. Ortega attempted to resist arrest and a struggle ensued, during which
three officers received minor injuries. A search revealed an ID card, an insurance
card, and a debit card, all of which did not belong to him. He was charged with
aggravated assault, possession of weapons for unlawful purposes, making
terroristic threats, resisting arrest, unlawful use of a weapons, and disorderly
conduct and transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
4. On July 14th, 2023, at approximately 9:05 a.m., Police Officer Frank
Francolino and Geovanni Cruzado responded to CKO GYM, 900 Madison St., on
the report of a disorderly man in the gym starting verbal arguments with gym
members. When they arrived, gym employees directed the officers to the suspect,
later identified as 25-year-old Justin Morris of Hoboken. When officers blocked
Morris from approaching a bystander, Morris attempted to grab the handle of one
of their guns, but the officer prevented that from happening. Gym members
assisted officers in getting Morris under control. He was transported to Hoboken
Police Headquarters and issued a summons for disarming a law enforcement
officer.
5. On July 15, 2023, Police Officers Matthew Bonanno and Joseph Lupo were on
patrol on the 200 block of Harrison Street at approximately 4:50 p.m., when they
were flagged down by a driver who said his vehicle had been hit by another car.
Officers spoke with the driver of that car, later identified as 42-year-old Luis
Prunet of Hammonton. During that conversation, officers were able to see a beer
bottle partially hidden by a black bookbag. Police Officer Andrias Bonilla arrived
to conduct a field sobriety test, after which Prunet was arrested. A search of his car
found an empty bottle of beer, an empty bottle of vodka, and several unopened
bottles of beer. Prunet was issued summonses for driving while intoxicated,
leaving the scene of an accident, open/unsealed container of alcohol, and reckless
driving. As per John’s law he was released into the custody of a responsible party.
6. On July 16, 2023, at approximately1:26 a.m., Police Officers Anthony
Rutkowski and Keven De La Cruz observed two vehicles turn the wrong way onto
Willow Avenue from Fourth Street, directly toward the patrol car. The officers
activated the emergency lights and sirens to attempt a motor vehicle stop. One of
the vehicles, a black Dodge Charger, reversed down the street and fled west on
Fourth Street at a high rate of speed. The other car also began to make a U-turn,
but pulled over once the officers activated their sirens again. When the officers
approached the vehicle, they noticed the driver, later identified as 27-year-old
Leverdis Cephus of Newark, had droopy eyelids, and they detected an odor of
alcohol on his breath. Officer Rutkowski conducted a field sobriety test, after
which Cephus was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated. He was transported to
Hoboken Police Headquarters where he was additionally charged with refusal to
submit breath samples, reckless driving, and driving the wrong way on a one-way
street. As per John’s Law he was released into the custody of a responsible party.
7. On July 18, 2023, at approximately 5:12 p.m., Polce Officers Harry Montalvo
and Anthony Olivera responded to Kings Food Market,1212 Shipyard La., on
reports of multiple thefts by an employee. Sergeants Franics McCourt and Roary
Miller also responded. Store security told officers that the employee, 27-year-old
Austin Serrano of Bayonne, was captured on surveillance video taking money from
the safe on two occasions. Further investigation revealed that on multiple
occasions, he also took merchandise totaling approximately $10,000. Serrano was
placed under arrest for burglary and theft. He was transported to Hoboken Police
Headquarters to be processed and released with a court date.
8. On July 18, 2023, at approximately 11:40 a.m., Police Officer Bernardo Munoz
took a report from a woman who walked into Hoboken Police Headquarters, to
report that a man was trying to break into vehicles parked on First Street between
River and Hudson Streets, including her car. Shortly after, Police Officers Jessica
Pizanie and James Barbro located a man, later identified as 41-year-old Jermaine
Samuels of Newark, who matched the description near the Hoboken Terminal. Sgt.
Francisco Rosa also arrived on scene. It was found that Samuels had a warrant for
his arrest from the New York State Division of Parole for robbery. Another
warrant was found for smoking in public in Newark. He was processed on both of
those warrants and transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
