1. On August 3, 2023, at approximately 10:55 p.m., Police Officers Harry
Montalvo, Jonathan Figueroa, Daniel Grossi, and Daniel Barron responded to the
500 block of Marshall Drive on reports of a dispute. While officers were on scene,
a large group of people began to gather. Additional units were requested. Sgt.
Dennis Figueroa, Sgt. Roary Miller, Det. Ryan Houghton, Det. Michael Losurdo,
and Police Officers Harold Milne, Mark Mooreman, Nick Valerius, Damien Bates,
Joseph Lupo, Ramon Calderon, Shelby Seickendick, and Paul Quinn responded.
Officers attempted to disperse the crowd and while they were doing so, they
observed a woman, later identified as 27-year-old Shakeila High of Hoboken,
approach another woman, later identified as 28-year-old Sharteria HugginsGorham of Hoboken, and punched her. When High was advised she was under
arrest, she began to pull her arms back attempting to resist. While placing High
under arrest a man, identified as 30-year-old Joseph Crandell of Hoboken,
attempted to get between officers and the arrestee. When officers advised Crandell
he was also under arrest, he placed his hands in a closed fist indicating that he
wanted to fight. As he backed up, he tripped and fell, which is when he was placed
under arrest. At that point, another man, identified as 42-year-old Damian Baez of
Jersey City, attempted to put his arms around Crandell to prevent officers from
walking Crandell to a patrol car. Baez was also placed under arrest. Another man,
identified as 36-year-old Barry High of Hoboken, was also arrested after he went
into a fighting stance against officers. As officers were placing him in handcuffs,
High pulled his arms forward and attempted to walk away. Officers brought him to
the ground and safely placed him in handcuffs. Officers with Jersey City Police,
Weehawken Police, New Jersey Transit Police, and Stevens Police provided
mutual aid until the crowd dispersed.
Crandell was charged with hindering apprehension of another person, aggravated
assault, enticing a riot, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. Baez was charged
with hindering apprehension of another person, aggravated assault, resisting arrest,
enticing a riot, and disorderly conduct. Crandell and Baez were remanded to the
Hudson County Correctional Facility. Shakeila High was charged with aggravated
assault, resisting arrest, enticing a riot, simple assault, and disorderly conduct.
Barry High was charged with resisting arrest, enticing a riot, aggravated assault,
and disorderly conduct. Shakeila High and Barry High were both released from
police custody on a summons. Use of force reports were generated.
The next day, on August 4, 2023, a follow up investigation by Sgt. William
Collins and Police Officers Harry Montalvo and Dominick Allegretta found that
Huggins-Gorham had started the fight which led to the large crowd forming the
night before, and she continued to act disorderly as police investigated the ongoing
incident. Officers issued Huggins-Gorham a special complaint for disorderly
conduct, which was mailed to her.
On August 8, 2023, further investigation of all body camera footage from the
incident by Sgt. Roary Miller revealed that 21-year-old Ahmad Bryant of Hoboken
had grabbed Joseph Crandell's arm to keep officers from arresting Crandell. Bryant
was charged with hindering apprehension, aggravated assault of law enforcement,
and disorderly conduct. The charges were placed on a warrant.
On August 11, 2023, Officers J. Figueroa and Jessica Pizanie observed and
arrested Bryant. Officer Harry Montalvo processed the arrest, and Bryant was
transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
2. On August 4, 2023, at approximately 6:35 a.m., Police Officer Luke Zeszotarski
was on the corner of Newark and River Streets when he observed a man, later
identified as 26-year-old Jourdan Maldonado of Jersey City, crouched next to a
bike rack attempting to cut the cable of a lock on an electric scooter. Officer Teddy
Santiago arrived to assist. While officers were talking with Maldonado, who could
not prove the scooter was his, another man arrived on the scene and was able to
prove the scooter belonged to him. At that time, Maldonado ran off and the officers
pursed. Officers Paul Quinn, Rose Kanan, and Nicholas Protopapakakis caught up
to him and gave Maldonado commands to stop, which he did. A search incident to
arrest found a small bag of white powdery substance, believed to be CDS.
Maldonado was then transported to Police Headquarters where a subsequent search
located a glass pipe commonly used to inhale and ingest various forms of CDS.
Maldonado was charged with attempted theft, criminal mischief, resisting arrest by
flight, possession of burglary tools, possession of CDS cocaine, and possession of
drug paraphernalia. Maldonado was processed and transported to the Hudson
County Correctional Facility.
3. On August 4, 2023, at approximately 7:05 p.m., Police Officers Bianca Arroyo
and Shelby Seickendick responded to the area of Third and Court Streets, on
reports of a man who had taken a package. The caller met officers and pointed out
the suspect, later identified as 75-year-old Hector Alvarado of Jersey City, nearby.
Alvarado was detained by Lt. Jonathan Butler and found to have a package in his
possession that did not belong to him. Alvarado was placed under arrest and
transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters. It was discovered there was an active
warrant out of Jersey City for drinking in public with an open container. Alvarado
was charged with theft and released from police custody. He was given a new court
date by Jersey City Police.
4. On August 5, 2023, at approximately 1:13 a.m., Police Officers Aaron Font and
Matthew Bonanno responded to the 100 block of Bloomfield Street on reports of a
man trying to break into a residential building. The caller provided officers with
Ring doorbell camera video, in which they observed the man breaking a window to
gain access, and then run off. Later that morning, at approximately 3:30 a.m.,
Police Officers Nicholas Protopapadakis and Michael Straten spotted a male
matching the description given by a witness and a photo from the video. Officers
approached the man, later identified as 46-year-old Raul Aponte of Jersey City,
who provided a false identity at first. A search incident to arrest was conducted and
yielded a small bag containing a white, rock-like substance believed to be CDS.
Aponte was transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters and was treated by
Hoboken Ambulance Corps for injuries he suffered while breaking the window. A
search discovered two warrants out of Hoboken; one for theft, the other for theft
and burglary. There was also a warrant from Jersey City for theft. A subsequent
search located a suitcase with women’s clothing inside, and a shipping label with a
specific woman’s name on it. Aponte was charged with criminal attempt burglary,
criminal mischief, possession of CDS crack cocaine, possession of drug
paraphernalia, and hindering apprehension. He was treated for his injuries at
Hoboken University Medical Center and then transported to the Hudson County
Correctional Facility.
5. On August 5, 2023, at approximately 6:10 p.m., Police Officers Anthony
Azzoline and Dominick Allegretta responded to Shoprite, 900 Madison St., for a
report of a shoplifter in custody. Store security told officers they observed a
woman, later identified as 43-year-old Katherine Rice of Hoboken, concealing
items deep inside her personal shopping cart. She was seen paying for some items
at self-check-out but attempted to leave the store without paying for other items
totaling $229.18. Rice was placed under arrest, charged with shoplifting, and
released on a complaint summons with a court date.
6. On August 5, 2023, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Police Officers Mark
Mooreman and Nicholas Protopapadakis were on patrol on the 300 block of
Marshall Drive when they were flagged down by a resident, who told them a
stranger was loitering and drinking alcohol in the basement of a residential
building. After a sweep of the building, they observed a man, later identified as 42-
year-old Jose Rivera of the Bronx, outside holding a syringe loaded with a fluid.
Based on training and experience, the officers believed this to be CDS. Rivera
quickly dropped the syringe along with a steel bottle cap. A search incident to
arrest found him to be in possession of two white wax folds. Police Officer Harry
Montalvo also arrived on scene to assist and transported Rivera to Hoboken Police
Headquarters where he was charged with possession of CDS, possession of drug
paraphernalia, possession of a hypodermic needle for unlawful purposes, and
defiant trespassing. An HPD Social Worker Referral Form was completed on
behalf of Rivera, who was issued a summons and released with a court date.
7. On August 6, 2023, at approximately 2:05 a.m., Police Officers Michael Straton
and Nicholas Protopapadakis responded to 47 Newark St. on reports of a motor
vehicle crash involving a possible intoxicated driver. When they arrived, they
located both drivers. A witness pointed out the suspected intoxicated driver, later
identified as 45-year-old Tanya Casquete-Apolinario of Jersey City. Investigation
revealed Casquete-Apolinaro collided into another car while trying to pull out of a
parking spot, after consuming alcoholic beverages. Officers detected her speech to
be slurred, her eyes watery and her body swaying. Casquete-Apolinario refused to
provide documents including her driver's license, registration, and insurance. A
registration was later found, but insurance was not located. Police Officers Andrias
Bonilla and Keven De La Cruz arrived on scene to assist. Officer Bonilla
conducted a standardized field sobriety test, after which Casquete-Apolinario was
placed under arrest. Officers observed two opened and half empty bottles of wine
in the trunk of her car. Casquete-Apolinario was transported to Police
Headquarters and charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving and
failure to exhibit documents. As per John’s Law, she was released into the custody
of a responsible party.
8. On August 8, 2023, at approximately 2:15 p.m., Police Officer Geovanni
Cruzado, and William Oquendo responded to ShopRite, 900 Monroe St., for
reports of an attempted theft of a battery out of an electric bike located against the
wall of the store. Upon arrival, officers observed the man, later identified as 36-
year-old William Gerena of Jersey City, using a hammer to try and pry open the
plastic battery cover, which it was later revealed he damaged. Officers approached
Gerena and asked him to drop the hammer, which he did. Sergeants Dennis
Figueroa and Adam Colon arrived on the scene to assist. Gerena was placed under
arrest, transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters, and charged with attempted
theft, possession of burglary tools, and criminal mischief. He was transported to
the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
9. On August 8, 2023, at approximately 3:15 p.m., Police Officer Harold Milne
was stopped by a victim while patrolling the area of 14th Street. The victim was on
the phone with 9-1-1 reporting that someone was in his vacant retail rental unit
located on the 100 block of 14th St. The victim stated he went to check on the unit,
which he hadn’t moved his business into yet, and found an unknown man inside,
who demanded the victim leave while holding a metal rod in his hand. The victim
left, and the suspect, later identified as 42-year-old Andrew Isaac of Hoboken,
locked the door. Sgt. Adam Colon and Police Officers William Oquendo and
Tyrone Huggins arrived on scene to assist. Officers observed that Isaac had altered
the sign, to make it appear he owned the building. Lt. Keith Rotondi, Sgt. Dennis
Figueroa, and Police Officer Geovani Cruzado also arrived on scene to assist. Isaac
eventually unlocked the back door and walked out of the building. He was placed
under arrest and charged with burglary, criminal mischief, and theft of moveable
property. Isaac was transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters, processed, and
released on a summons.
10. On August 8, 2023, at approximately 3:40 p.m., Police Officers Joshua
Campoverde and Jessica Pizanie responded to the rear playground of 300 Marshall
Dr. on reports of a man on the ground. When they arrived, the man, whom they
recognized as Kyle Campbell, was sitting on a bench and was observed to be in
possession of a white hypodermic syringe with an orange cap in his right hand. The
officers advised Campbell he was under arrest. A search incident to arrest revealed
a blue push rod commonly used to push narcotics into a glass pipe, and a clear
cylindrical glass pipe with copper mesh at the end which is commonly used to
inhale CDS Heroin. Officers also found four empty wax folds commonly used to
store CDS-heroin, and a white capsule. He was transported to the Hoboken Police
Department and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of
hypodermic syringe, and possession of prescription legend drugs. He was
remanded to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
11. On August 8, 2023, at approximately 6:55 p.m., 38-year-old Takiha Edwards
of Bayonne turned herself into Hoboken Police Headquarters on a warrant from
New Jersey Transit Police. She paid the ticket amount and was given a court date.
12. On August 8, 2023, at approximately 9:55 p.m., Sgt. Edward Sellick observed
a gas-powered scooter without a license plate traveling on Observer Highway. The
Sgt. conducted a motor vehicle stop of the scooter at the intersection of Observer
Highway and Park Avenue. The operator was identified as 24-year-old Muhammed
Durmaz of Jersey City, and he produced an insurance card, an application for a NJ
DMV vehicle registration, and a title for the scooter. Police Officer Joseph Lupo
arrived to assist. No record of the scooter was found in all 50 states and a tow truck
was called. It was then observed that the scooter was 150 cubic centimeters (cc’s)
and Dumaz did not have a motorcycle endorsement on his license which is needed
to operate that type of vehicle. When he was told the scooter was being
impounded, Durmaz became upset and when the tow truck arrived, he became irate
and attempted to grab the paperwork from the officers repeatedly even after being
asked to stop. As officers attempted to place him in handcuffs, he resisted arrest by
tensing up. Because of these actions, he was taken to the ground and eventually
handcuffed when other officers arrived. Two officers sustained minor injuries
during this struggle; one was evaluated by Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps,
the other at Hoboken University Medical Center. Use of force and injury reports
were completed. Durmaz was transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters and
charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct. He was
also issued a summons for having an unregistered vehicle and for being an
unlicensed driver. Durmaz was released on summons.
13. On August 09, 2023, at approximately 10:35 p.m., Police Officers Paul Quinn,
Samuel Flores, and Daniel Grossi and Sgt. Roary Miller responded to the 900
block of Castle Point Terrace on a report of a man sitting on property that did not
belong to him. When they arrived, they observed a man who fit the caller’s
description in the backyard and learned he had been walking back and forth
between two backyards, neither of which he had permission to be in. The man,
later identified as 26-year-old Jethro Sylverne of Phillipsburg, refused to hand over
his identification. He was handcuffed and transported to Police Headquarters
where he was charged with criminal trespass, and hindering apprehension. He was
remanded to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
