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Yasen R. Delgado
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Ahjainay N. Gawthney
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Delareese Delgado
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Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of YASEN R. DELGADO, 26; AHJAINAY N. GAWTHNEY, 27; and DELAREESE DELGADO, 31, all of whom reside in Paterson, NJ, on various charges stemming from an organized theft scheme. The arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck; the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Anthony Cureton and Chief Carmelo Giustra; and several local police departments from across Bergen County, NJ.
Beginning in January 2025, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Intelligence & Counterterrorism Unit reviewed a series of incidents reported to local and county law enforcement involving scam telephone calls using technology that modified the incoming caller ID information. Specifically, area law enforcement began receiving reports from concerned residents of an unknown caller who claimed he was either an officer from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office or a “Bail Bondsman” representing the Court. The caller informed victims that there was an active warrant seeking their arrest for missing a court proceeding or for ignoring jury duty. The caller made arrangements for the victims to personally meet with a so-called official in order for them to avoid incarceration. In turn, victims were instructed to hand over large sums of money to this purported official under the threat of being arrested. Detectives immediately recognized the activity as a scam; in short, law enforcement does not demand payment over the phone or threaten arrest in this manner.
Accordingly, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office initiated a joint investigation with the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and the local police departments that had reports of this activity in recent months. Investigators quickly determined that the scheme involved as many as nine victims from throughout the area whose combined losses totaled approximately $190,000.00.
As the investigation progressed, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit joined the case to aid in tracing the calls, while other detectives identified a suspect vehicle that was used to travel to and from in-person meetings with victims. It was at these meetings that the bogus bail bondsman would obtain payments for supposed active warrants. After a weeks-long investigation, detectives identified YASEN R. DELGADO and AHJAINAY N. GAWTHNEY as the suspects responsible for deceiving the victims and collecting the cash proceeds in this scam.
On Thursday, February 27, 2025, with the assistance of the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office along with members of both the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and several local police departments involved in the case, executed search warrants at two residences in Paterson, NJ associated with YASEN R. DELGADO and AHJAINAY N. GAWTHNEY. During the court-authorized searches, detectives located suspected fentanyl, prescription legend drugs, drug packaging materials, stamps used for heroin packaging, cutting agents, empty glassine bags, electronic scales, drug paraphernalia, and cash proceeds. Detectives also located a loaded, unregistered handgun with illegal hollow-point ammunition belonging to YASEN R. DELGADO, and a loaded, illegal assault rifle belonging to DELAREESE DELGADO.
As a result of the investigation, on Thursday, February 27, 2025, YASEN R. DELGADO, AHJAINAY N. GAWTHNEY, and DELAREESE DELGADO were arrested and charged with multiple counts of varying offenses related to both the scam activity and the additional crimes uncovered during the aforementioned court-authorized searches. All three defendants were remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending their first appearances in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, NJ.
Consequently, YASEN R. DELGADO remains in the custody of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, having been charged with: first-degree maintaining a premise for the manufacture of CDS, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-4; two counts of second-degree theft by deception, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4a; ten counts of second-degree theft by extortion, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-5b; second-degree possession with intent to distribute CDS within a public housing facility, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-7.1A; second-degree possession of a firearm by a certain persons, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-7b(1); second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1); eight counts of third-degree theft by deception, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4a; third-degree money laundering, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25b(2)(a); third-degree possession of CDS, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10a(1); third-degree distribution of CDS, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(3); fourth-degree forgery, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-1a(2); fourth-degree impersonating a law enforcement officer, N.J.S.A. 2C:28-8(b); fourth-degree possession of a prescription legend drug, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10.5a(2); fourth-degree possession of a large capacity ammunition magazine, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3j; fourth-degree possession of armor penetrating ammunition, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3f(1); and possession of drug paraphernalia, a disorderly persons offense, N.J.S.A. 2C:36-2.
Likewise, AHJAINAY N. GAWTHNEY remains in the custody of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, having been charged with: nine counts of second-degree conspiracy to commit theft by extortion, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a1/20-5b; second-degree theft by extortion, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-5b; second-degree conspiracy to commit theft by deception, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a1/20-4a; second-degree theft by deception, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4a; eight counts of third-degree conspiracy to commit theft by deception, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a1/20-4a; and third-degree money laundering, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25b(2)(a).
Lastly, DELAREESE DELGADO remains in the custody of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, having been charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(f); and fourth-degree prohibited weapons and devices, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3(j).
Prosecutor Musella states that the charges against all three defendants in this case are merely accusations and that they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella recognizes and thanks the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and the Paterson Police Department for their assistance with this multi-jurisdictional arrest. Moreover, Prosecutor Musella wishes to particularly acknowledge the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and Passaic County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with this lengthy investigation, along with the Washington Township Police Department, which participates in the Bergen County Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Finally, Prosecutor Musella thanks the many law enforcement agencies that had a hand in this investigation, and whose coordination was invaluable, including the Bogota Police Department, Fort Lee Police Department, Midland Park Police Department, Paramus Police Department, Ramsey Police Department, River Edge Police Department, Rochelle Park Police Department, Tenafly Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, Wallington Police Department, and Woodbury (NY) Police Department.
