Krisla Rezireksyon told detectives her two other children were at a friend's house in Elizabeth, but they were found in her Irvington apartment

NEWARK — Standing near the dead body of her eight-year-old daughter on May 22, 2011 in her Irvington apartment, Krisla Rezireksyon told detectives her two younger children were at a friend's house in Elizabeth.

But detectives soon found the other children inside another room at the apartment, behind a door made up of two pieces of plywood and a lock on it.

With Rezireksyon's murder trial scheduled to begin this week, the attorneys on Tuesday debated whether jurors should hear testimony from retired Irvington Police Lt. Sharon Noel, one of the detectives who questioned Rezireksyon about the whereabouts of those two children.

Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Dawn Simonetti argued Noel's testimony should be admissible, because Rezireksyon gave a "voluntary statement" and she was not under arrest or considered a suspect.

Simonetti said it was unnecessary for detectives to advise Rezireksyon of her Miranda rights before questioning her about the location of her children.

"This was not a custodial interrogation," Simonetti told Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin during Tuesday's hearing. "It was simply an inquiry about whether or not she had two other kids."

But Rezireksyon's attorney, Adrien Moncur, told the judge Noel's testimony should be inadmissible, because the detectives did not advise Rezireksyon of her Miranda rights.

Moncur argued Rezireksyon should have been advised of her rights, because he claimed Noel was suspicious of Rezireksyon and questioned her as part of a criminal investigation. Moncur also said Rezireksyon was not free to leave the apartment.

Moncur noted that after questioning Rezireksyon, Irvington detectives contacted the homicide division of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

"She was not free to leave and she was asked questions that could have generated incriminating evidence," Moncur said. "It sounds like that's a custodial interrogation, which would require a Miranda warning."

The judge said he would issue a ruling on Wednesday about the admissibility of the detective's testimony.

Krisla Rezireksyon, left, who is charged in the May 2011 death of her 8-year-old daughter, Christiana Glenn, looks over her shoulder is as defense attorney Aarin Williams talks to her. Rezireksyon is accused of killing Glenn and abusing and neglecting her two younger children in their Irvington apartment. Newark, NJ 1/5/16 (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Rezireksyon, 34, is facing murder, child endangerment and related charges in the May 2011 death of Christiana Glenn, whom authorities have said was emaciated and had an untreated broken leg.

Rezireksyon also is accused of abusing and neglecting the two younger children — Solomon and Christina Glenn — were also starved and sustained fractures that went untreated, authorities said.

Her roommate, Myriam Janvier, 27, also is charged in the case, but she is expected to be tried separately at a later date.

The trial will be based in large part on the women's religious practices and how their faith affected how they cared for the children.

In a formal interview with detectives a few hours after Glenn was found dead, Rezireksyon said her daughter had fallen while taking a bath two days beforehand, and her leg later became swollen. Rezireksyon said she later applied "sea salt" and "cornmeal and salt" to the girl's leg.

When she found her daughter not breathing, Rezireksyon said she, her two younger children and Janvier prayed over the girl's body for an hour to 90 minutes before she called 911.

Rezireksyon also said she would "tap" the children sometimes as a form of punishment. As forms of discipline, Janvier has said they would tie the children to radiators, make them kneel on salt, and sometimes delay feeding them.

At the trial, Moncur is expected to present a "diminished capacity" defense, meaning she was suffering from a "mental defect or deficiency" at the time of Glenn's death. Moncur has argued Rezireksyon was under "delusional spells" due to her pastor's teachings.

During Tuesday's hearing, Noel — who was an Irvington detective sergeant when she responded to the apartment in May 2011 — testified about Rezireksyon's statements about the whereabouts of her two other children.

That exchange occurred as Noel, another detective and Rezireksyon were standing in the room where Glenn's body laid, Noel said.

When the other detective questioned Rezireksyon about whether she had additional children, she said they were at a friend's house on Elmora Avenue in Elizabeth, Noel said. Noel then asked Rezireksyon about the location of the children and Rezireksyon provided a specific address and the friend's first name, according to Noel.

Copy of a 2006 photo of Christiana Glenn, looking at her reflection in a mirror before attending a family wedding as a flower girl. Eight-years-old, Christiana Glenn, (now called Kristina Kris Rezireksyon Kris.) was found dead from malnutrition and a broken leg. Her mother,Venette Ovilde (Krisla Rezireksyon Kris), has been charged with the death of her daughter. Saddle Brook, NJ 6/3/11 McCoy Family Photo Courtesy photo

Noel said she left the apartment and contacted her dispatch to have Elizabeth police notified about that address to make sure the children were there and safe. Noel said she also contacted state child welfare officials about the case.

But when she returned to the apartment, Noel said she learned that detectives had found the two other children in the residence. Sgt. Michael Davidson of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said at a previous hearing that the children were found inside a room with a door made up of two pieces of plywood and a lock on it.

On Tuesday, Noel maintained that, at the time she questioned Rezireksyon, she did not consider her to be a suspect and she was not under arrest. Noel said she was not investigating a possible crime.

"At this point, it's not a crime," Noel said. "It's a death of a child."

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Former chief ethics officer for the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission convicted in 2014 of using public workers to fix up his mother's house to get a new trial.

TRENTON--A state appeals court Tuesday granted a new trial to a former top executive of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, who argued his conviction on charges of official misconduct had been tainted from the start.

Attorneys for Anthony Ardis, the PVSC's one-time chief ethics officer, called for a new trial after lawyers for his co-defendant in the case--Paul Bazela, an operations supervisor for the commission--told the jury that Ardis had directed the use of agency carpenters and others to do home fix-up work for friends and family while they were on the clock.

During opening arguments in the 2014 trial in Passaic County, Bazela's lawyer declared "the reason that we're here today is because someone is too cheap to do this work privately."

At the same time, the appellate court denied Bazela's separate request for a new trial.

Attorneys for both men did not immediately return calls for comment.

The case grew out of a state investigation after a series of stories in The Star-Ledger detailing widespread abuse, sweetheart deals and unchecked patronage at the public authority, which serves more than 1.3 million people, handling the sewage of 48 communities in Essex, Bergen, Passaic and Hudson counties.

According to the state Attorney General's Office, Ardis and Bazela put PVSC employees to work from 2007 to 2010 on a wide variety of home improvements on agency time, using the commission's vehicles and equipment--including repairs and electrical work at the home of Ardis' mother and the installation of an air conditioner for his girlfriend--without paying them. Officials said Bazela accompanied the workers in some instances to supervise and assist with the projects.

Ardis, who served as director of management services and clerk to the board, was being paid $214,000 a year before losing his job following his arrest. Bazela, who was paid $109,600 a year before he was terminated, served as mayor of Northvale in Bergen County.

Both were found guilty of third-degree official misconduct, third-degree conspiracy, third-degree theft, and third-degree pattern of official misconduct.

Soon after their conviction, however, Superior Court Judge Joseph Portelli in Paterson granted a defense request that they both be retried, saying their cases should have been heard separately. The state Attorney General's office appealed.

In an opinion handed down Tuesday by Judges Jack Sabatino, Allison Accurso and Amy O'Connor, the appellate panel said it did not discount the strength of the state's proofs or minimize the wrongful natural of a violation of the public trust.

"But the mandate for a fair trail must be paramount before Ardis' conviction can be sustained," they said.

However, they reversed the trial court decision granting a new trail for Bazela as well. "Unlike Ardis, Bazela apparently was willing to participate in a joint trial, perhaps for strategic reasons in the hope that the jury might perceive his PVSC superior Ardis as being the only (or the more) culpable defendant," said the panel.

Addressing the trial court's musings that it might have "painted Bazela into a corner" in regard to rulings that served to discourage him from testifying on his own behalf, the panel said "unlike the highly prejudicial circumstances" concerning Ardis, "the way this trial unfolded and the court's evidentiary rulings did not comparably result in a miscarriage of justice for Bazela."

A spokesman for the Attorney General did not indicate whether they could challenge the decision on Ardis.

"We are pleased with the decision regarding Bazela and are considering our options with regard to the ruling on Ardis," said Peter Aseltine.

Another former high-level PVSC administrator, Kevin Keogh, who pleaded guilty in the case in 2012, is still awaiting sentencing, according to the Attorney general's office.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Woman was last seen around 4:30 p.m. Monday

Adelaida Serrano  

MONTCLAIR -- An 83-year-old woman has been missing since Monday afternoon, family members confirmed Tuesday.

Adelaida Serrano was last seen around 4:35 p.m. leaving a building at First Montclair House on Walnut Street* wearing a red coat and carrying a grey purse. She has lived in Montclair since June after moving here from New York.

Family members say she can get confused and is not familiar with the area.

Anyone with any information is being asked to call Christina DiMurro at (520) 990-3756 or Robert Castro at (973) 980-3617.

*An earlier version of this article misstated Serrano's last known location.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook

Rutgers-Newark held a Three Kings celebration for Spanish-speaking kids and their families.

NEWARK -- Complete with dinner, presents, and an actual visit from the Three Kings, New Jersey special needs kids and their caretakers were treated to an Epiphany celebration Tuesday.

Dozens of kids and their caregivers gathered at the Rutgers-Newark campus Tuesday for the Three Kings celebration, hosted by Mom2Mom, a peer support helpline for families of special needs children operated by the school's Behavioral Health Care center. The group, which began in 2010, uses trained mothers of disabled kids to provide "reciprocal peer support" to others dealing with similar issues, the group said.

It runs a special program to provide support to Spanish-speaking families. The event commemorating Three Kings Day, a Christian holiday marking the visit of the Magi after Christ's birth and celebrated in many Latin American countries by the Three Kings bringing gifts to children, was geared toward Spanish-speaking special needs children and their families.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The owner of a Paterson convenience store was robbed at knifepoint in an Elmwood Park motel room by a man who claimed he was interested in buying the victim's shop, police said Wednesday.

Elmwood Park police said a Paterson store owner was robbed at knifepoint in the borough Jan. 5, 2016. (File photo) 

The 52-year-old business owner, a Haledon man, told police he agreed to give a man he knew only as Ali from Newark a ride from his store to the train station Tuesday night, according to Chief Michael Foligno. The merchant left with $3,000.

On the way, Ali convinced the store owner to get him a motel room because he was tired and didn't feel like making the trip back to Newark, according to the chief. The pair were in a room at The Town House Inn on Route 46 when Ali came up behind the merchant, pressed a 4 to 6 inch knife to his back and demanded money.

The robber fled with the $3,000 and security cameras captured him getting into a waiting car with another unidentified person, Foligno added. Authorities did not immediately provide detailed descriptions of the vehicle or suspects.

Foligno said the merchant was not injured.

"The suspect should be considered armed and dangerous," the chief said in an email. 

Ali reportedly visited the man's Paterson store over the past several weeks and expressed interest in purchasing the business, police said. 

Anyone with information was asked to call police at 201-796-0700, ext 110. Police said callers can remain anonymous.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Freddie Wright, 23, is expected to receive a 12-year state prison sentence for the August 2014 chase between Essex and Somerset counties

Freddie WrightEssex County Correctional Facility 

NEWARK -- A Newark man has pleaded guilty to eluding and related charges for leading police on a 2014 chase in a stolen vehicle between Essex and Somerset counties, hitting a minivan and a police car and causing Route 287 to be shut down during rush hour.

With his trial scheduled to begin, Freddie Wright, 23, entered the guilty plea on Tuesday in connection with the Aug. 11, 2014 incident, according to a news release issued today by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Under a plea agreement, Wright is expected to receive a 12-year state prison sentence, according to Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Joseph A. Giordano, who is handling the case. Wright must serve slightly more than 10 years before becoming eligible for parole and he will receive credit for time served.

His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 19 before Superior Court Judge Martin Cronin.

"This plea reflects the damage this defendant caused not only to those involved in the crash that day, but to hundreds of drivers whose lives he put in jeopardy as a part of his reckless acts," Giordano said in the news release.

Charges are still pending against Wright's co-defendants - Jakill Young, 24, and Ericka Whitlock, 21, both of Newark - who were allegedly passengers in the Jeep driven by Wright.

Whitlock, who was eight months pregnant at the time, gave birth on the day after the incident, authorities said.

The incident started in the afternoon of Aug. 11, 2014 on 17th Avenue and South 19th Street in Newark, where a state trooper attempted to stop the Jeep after running the license plates and finding the vehicle had been reported stolen, authorities said.

But Wright rammed the Jeep into the State Police vehicle and sped off, authorities said. The trooper broke his hand in the crash, authorities said.

Wright then led police on a chase along Route 78 West, Route 24 West and 287 South, authorities said. During the pursuit, the Jeep reached more than 100 mph, authorities said.

The high-speed chase ended on Route 287 South in Bernards Township when the Jeep collided with a minivan and a township police car, authorities said. A civilian and a police officer were injured in the crash, authorities said.

Following the crash, the highway was shut down in both directions for several hours.

In addition to eluding, Wright pleaded guilty to aggravated assault while eluding for hitting a civilian victim; aggravated assault while eluding for hitting the Bernards Police Officer; and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries for striking the State Police vehicle and breaking the trooper's hand.

As for Wright's alleged passengers, Young is charged with riding in a stolen vehicle and resisting arrest charges, and Whitlock is charged with riding in a stolen vehicle, court records show.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Deputy Chief William Phillips Jr.'s Christmas Eve suspension stemmed from a disagreement over foot patrol orders on Dec. 23, said Sgt. Lawrence Flanagan, the president of the city's Superior Officers Association.

EAST ORANGE -- In her first month on job, the city's public safety director suspended the police department's acting chief over a contradicting order during the holiday season, NJ Advance Media has learned.

Deputy Chief William Phillips Jr.'s Christmas Eve suspension stemmed from a disagreement over foot patrol orders on Dec. 23, said Sgt. Lawrence Flanagan, the president of the city's Superior Officers Association.

East Orange's Public Safety Director Sheilah Coley had called the officers in from walking patrols due to inclement weather, according to Flanagan. However, Phillips rescinded Coley's command, ordering officers over dispatch to remain on the streets, Flanagan said. 

According to the National Weather Service, that Tuesday was rainy with an average temperature of 58 degrees in Newark, the nearest location with archived climate data.

The disagreement led to a meeting on Dec. 24 where Coley suspended the deputy chief, who was serving as acting chief while Police Chief William Robinson was on vacation, Flanagan said.

Although unable to comment on personnel issues or specifics, Robinson told NJ Advance Media if any suspension occurred while he was away, under the state's Attorney General's guidelines, he should have been notified and signed off on it.

"None of that happened," he said. "If [the suspension] did happen, so did those violations. Under the Chiefs' Bill of Rights, I'm supposed to appoint my successor."

The law N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118, or the Police Chiefs' Bill of Rights as it's commonly referred to, defines the power and authority of officials for law enforcement within local municipalities. 

Coley named Capt. Phyllis Bindi acting police chief until Robinson's return, which is scheduled for this week, Flanagan said.

It was unclear when Phillips would return from his suspension. Phillips and Coley could not be reached for comment.

Coley was appointed at the end of November to head East Orange's recently formed Department of Public Safety, which oversees police, fire and emergency management.

She retired from the Newark Police Department in 2014 as the first woman director of the department. Coley was also the first woman to serve as chief of police in the city after being appointed in 2011 by former Newark Mayor Cory Booker. 

Flanagan, who heads the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 188 that represents sergeants, lieutenants and captains in the department, said the local chapter has limited resources to help Phillips because he's a deputy chief.

"Right now there's not a lot we can do," Flanagan said. "He's well liked by his subordinates and we hope for the best for him in this situation."

Spokesperson Sgt. Maurice Boyd told NJ Advance Media the East Orange Police Department doesn't comment on personnel issues.

City officials also refused to comment on personnel issues, according to the Public Information Officer Connie Jackson.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Have you ever thought about what you need to do if you actually win?

With the Powerball jackpot at $500 million -- its sixth highest amount ever -- lottery hopefuls are lining up at convenience stores and gas stations around New Jersey to buy that lucky winning ticket.

Plans of what to do with the money, should a New Jerseyan win, are vast and varied - but a house (or 10), buy a yacht, buy an island, etc. But, what would you do first if you actually won?

New Jersey Lottery spokeswoman Judith Drucker broke down the steps that someone should actually take if they have a winning ticket Wednesday night.

1. Relax, put a cool compress on your head, and let the moment sink in.
2. Sign the back of the ticket. This, Drucker said, is "extremely important," and needs to be done, "right away."
3. Put the ticket in your safe place. Over the years, Drucker said she has heard of big jackpot lottery winners putting their tickets everywhere from in a fireproof safe to in the middle of a Bible. So long as it doesn't get lost or destroyed, it'll work.
4. Contact your closest family members or friends to confer with them, and make sure you are all on board with the news of the win.
5. Contact a financial advisor, accountant, or someone who you trust to discuss the implications of the huge influx of cash. "It is huge, so you want people who are knowledgeable about finances to advise you," Drucker said.
6. Call the NJ Lottery commission at (609) 599-5800. You will be invited to lottery headquarters in Trenton so your ticket can be verified.
7. At HQ, you will file a claim form, and have your ticket verified and validated. The whole process takes about an hour, she said.

Michael H. Karu, a CPA certified in financial forensics, cautioned potential winners from making the news of the win public right away.

"The minute you turn (the winning ticket) in, everyone knows," Karu said. "You should have everything that you are planning to do figured out beforehand."

For example, Karu said, dividing the winnings before amongst your spouse and children, can prevent a winner from having to pay hefty estate taxes in the future. Having a plan before cashing in is key, he said.

After taxes and a cash out reduction, Karu said the winnings are closer to $200 million than $500 million. But, once the planning is through, "then the excitement really begins," Drucker said.

"I've actually been speaking to a number of past winners today...and the bottom line is, it's all good. I haven't met anyone yet who wants to give the money back."

Could playing these winning Powerball numbers increase your odds?

The drawing takes place at 10:59 p.m. and airs on WABC-7 in the New York City area and WPVI-6 in the Philadelphia area. If you're not near a television check NJ.com for results.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Photos from 20 years ago, when one of the worst blizzards in New Jersey history dumped more than 2 feet of snow, crippling the state for several days.

Police have apprehended the city man wanted in connection with the 2015 shooting death of a local 19-year old.

Darryl A. Craft. (Courtesy Essex County Prosecutor's Office)Vernal Coleman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

NEWARK -- Police have apprehended a city man wanted in connection with the 2015 shooting death of a local 19-year old, authorities confirm.

Darryl Craft, 24, was taken into police custody on December 31 after he and several others led police on an early morning car chase through Newark's South Ward, according to police reports.

Craft surfaced after the Essex County Prosecutor's Office in December issued a warrant for his arrest on charges connected to the Oct. 24 killing of Darnell Smith.

Smith, whose death brought the city's 2015 homicide total to 81, was found outside a South 6th Street residence suffering an apparent gunshot wound to the chest, according to police reports. More than a dozen bullet casings were discovered at the scene, the reports said. 

Smith was later rushed to University Hospital for treatment, and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving, the reports said.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/01/declines_in_newark_camden_drive_nj_homicides_down_15_percent_in_2014.html

Following his arrest, Craft was arraigned and placed into custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility, where he remains on $1 million bond.

Craft's case has now been referred to a grand jury, said Katherine Carter, Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman. "We are in the process of preparing the case for presentation," she said.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador was a leading critic of the agency before it was officially dissolved in 2013

NEWARK - As guilty pleas related to the kickbacks and bribery scandal that brought down the Newark Conservation and Watershed Development Corp. begin to pile up, one Newark official says he believes investigators have only reached the tip of the iceberg.

East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador, an early critic of the agency during Cory Booker's tenure as mayor, said at a Municipal Council meeting Wednesday that he believes a federal probe into its dealings may soon entangle additional former employees.

"This is only the beginning, from what I understand, of what's coming down," he said. 

Amador (File photo)Dan Ivers | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

Amador's comments come just one day after the NWCDC's former special projects manager, Donald Bernard Sr., and a home improvement contractor, Giacomo "Jack" DeRosa, admitted to taking part in a scheme that provided contractors with work in exchange for hundreds of thousands in kickbacks.

Last month, the agency's former executive director Linda Watkins-Brashear admitted to soliciting nearly $1 million in bribes from contractors. Another contractor, James Porter, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and tax evasion for his own involvement in January 2015.

Matthew Reilly, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman's, declined to comment on whether any other arrests or indictments might be imminent, saying only that an investigation into the NWCDC remained active.

Amador, who was among several council members who called for investigations into the watershed and de-funded its operation after the Star-Ledger and a collective of activists calling themselves the Newark Water Group raised concerns about the agency, something he said he considered inherent to his role as an elected official.

"One of the functions that we have as a council is precisely to do this kind of thing, on behalf of the interests of the city," he said.

Booker says he shouldn't be held responsible for Newark water agency corruption

Amador was among the members named to a newly constituted board of trustees overseeing the agency that voted to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2014, in hopes of recovering the more than $2 million allegedly stolen and misused by Watkins-Brashear and others. The vote came nearly two years after the NWCDC was officially dissolved in the wake of a scathing report from the state comptroller's office detailing the widespread corrupt and mismanagement in its ranks.

A civil suit filed as part of the bankruptcy case names former mayor and now U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and 17 other agency executives, employees, contractors, accountants and trustees, alleging they played a role in the malfeasance. Booker's attorneys have denied those allegations in court.

Originally formed in the 1970s to protect approximately 35,000 acres of city-owned land the city owned around north Jersey, the non-profit agency took control of the water supply for nearly 500,000 customers in Newark and surrounding communities in the 1990s.

Joseph Hartnett, a former Montclair town manager appointed to serve as the agency's executive director through the bankruptcy process, said there were no plans to turn oversight of the water supply back to the NWCDC or any quasi-governmental agency, regardless of what assets might be recovered through the bankruptcy process.

"Our mission is to dissolve this corporation," he said. "The only activities we have now are in connection with the litigation and various litigation that we're defending."

Hartnett declined to comment on any aspect of the criminal proceedings stemming from the agency.

"That's up to the U.S. attorney," he said.

Amador recalled being "mocked" after initially proposing the NWCDC be investigated, and said he hoped residents said he hoped residents would take notice that years later, he and his allies have found some sense of vindication.

"I can't help but be satisfied, not happy," he said. "But I am satisfied that the work of the council committee, with the support of the Water Group, is coming to the conclusion that we were right at the time."

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Saying prosecutors have moved slowly, Max Rojas Ramirez filed a criminal complaint against the priest who Ramirez says raped him in 2003

UPDATE: An arrest warrant has been issued for the Rev. Manuel Gallo Espinoza on a charge of sexual assault.

Five months after a suspended priest admitted to a reporter that he had a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old boy in 2003, the alleged victim filed a criminal complaint against the clergyman in municipal court Wednesday, saying prosecutors have been slow to act in the case.

The accuser -- Max Rojas Ramirez, now 28 -- said his sexual assault complaint is intended to speed a resolution in authorities' investigation of the Rev. Manuel Gallo Espinoza, who has been sought for questioning by the Union County Prosecutor's Office.

"I want him to be charged," Ramirez said before filing the complaint Wednesday afternoon in Plainfield Municipal Court. "I want justice to be served. It's been a long time, and nothing has happened."

The Rev. Manuel Gallo Espinoza, seen in social media photos (top), fled the country in 2003 after a 15-year-old boy accused him of rape. At bottom is a copy of the visa he received when he returned to the United States to work as a teacher. 

Because the charge is an indictable offense, a Superior Court judge must find probable cause to support it before issuing an arrest warrant. Ramirez said a hearing on the issue had been tentatively set for Feb. 1. The prosecutor's office, which has not brought its own charges, declined to comment on the complaint.

New Jersey lawmakers abolished the statute of limitations on sexual assault in 1996.

Gallo Espinoza, now 52, fled to his native Ecuador after Ramirez first reported the alleged assault in 2003. As a result, he was never questioned, and the investigation fell into dormancy.

The prosecutor's office reopened the probe last spring after inquiries by NJ Advance Media, which disclosed the priest had returned to the United States in 2005 to work as a teacher at schools in Maryland and Virginia.

He disappeared again in February 2014. But after the NJ Advance Media story about him in June of last year, Gallo Espinoza reached out to the news organization last August in hopes of contacting Ramirez.

In a series of telephone and email interviews, Gallo Espinoza admitted engaging in a sexual encounter with the teen in the rectory of St. Mary's Church in Plainfield, calling it a "mistake." He also blamed Ramirez, saying he "had something evil in his mind."

"One thing that I am conscious (of) is he was at that time a teenager, and it is a big mistake for me. But I didn't force him to do anything he didn't want," Gallo Espinoza wrote, adding that he continues to teach in Ecuador. "He was older (sic) enough to walk away, but I think that I was attracted to him, that is the only explanation that I can think right now."

Asked if he realized he could be committing a crime by having sex with a 15-year-old boy when he was 40, Gallo Espinoza responded, "I just came fr (sic) my country and really in Ecuador a person at 15 years old is not consider (sic) so innocent."

Max Rojas Ramirez, seen here outside Plainfield Municipal Court, reads a copy of the sexual assault complaint he filed against the Rev. Manuel Gallo Espinoza. (Mark Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

Ramirez, a former altar boy and member of the youth group at St. Mary's, fully rejects the claim, saying the priest held him down and raped him in a bedroom at the rectory just before Easter in 2003. Gallo Espinoza had been drinking heavily before the incident and complaining that he was depressed and suicidal, Ramirez said.

He said the incident has haunted him ever since, leading him for a time to drug use and stays in psychiatric hospitals. He is now clean and in therapy, he says.

Ramirez was accompanied Wednesday by Mark Crawford, the New Jersey director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, an advocacy and support group.

Crawford chided the prosecutor's office for not acting more quickly against Gallo Espinoza, saying the priest should have been charged in absentia given his admission.

"Thirteen years is more than enough time to act on this, and since he made his statement in August of last year -- another five months -- they still have not charged him," Crawford said.

Greg Gianforcaro, a lawyer representing Ramirez in an ongoing civil suit against the Archdiocese of Newark, said his client will cooperate fully with the prosecutor's office "in the hopes that Fr. Espinoza is eventually convicted."

"Up until now," Gianforcaro said, "the wheels of justice have turned too slowly for Max Ramirez."

A spokesman for the archdiocese declined to comment Wednesday. The archdiocese removed Gallo Espinoza from ministry shortly before he left New Jersey.

Mark Mueller may be reached at mmueller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkJMueller. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Crystal Lynn Passante, 26, was reported missing in Newark in July. She was found dead inside an old school building in Newark on Sept. 18.

Nearly four months after the remains of a missing New Jersey woman were found inside an empty building in Newark, a memorial service will be held for the former Secaucus resident and her unborn daughter. 

Crystal Lynn Passante, 26, who was reported missing in Newark in July, was found dead inside the now empty Science High School in Newark on Sept. 18.

Family members said Passante was five months pregnant at the time of her disappearance. An autopsy later revealed she had miscarried the baby, her family said in October. 

On Saturday, a memorial service will be held at the First Reform Church in Secaucus at 4 p.m. for Pessante and her unborn child, Lynn Passante.

Nicole Romano, Passante's aunt, said the cause and date of death were not known. 

Passante, the mother of a 5-year-old daughter, was last seen alive on Ferry Street in Newark after leaving her father's home. She had recently moved back to New Jersey after living in California, her family previously said.

Although her body had been discovered in September, the family was not notified until Oct. 13 after the results of dental records positively identified the remains as Passante.

A GoFundMe page was created to help the family with funeral costs and to create an education fund for her daughter, Ellinia. 

First Reform Church is located at 53 Centre Ave. 

An argument over shots of liquor may have sparked the altercation that led to the first homicide in Newark in 2016, police reports indicate.

(File photo). 

NEWARK -- An argument over shots of liquor may have sparked the altercation that killed Bernard Baillou, the city's first homicide victim of 2016, say police reports obtained by NJ Advance Media.

Baillou, 36, was killed on Jan. 1 just hours into the new year. Authorities recorded the final homicide of 2015 just hours earlier, when Bruce Turner, 26, was shot to death near Camden Street and 13th Avenue at approximately 5 p.m.

According to police reports, Baillou was at a Spruce Street apartment celebrating New Year's Eve when an argument erupted between himself and two women in attendance.

Baillou wanted to take shots, the reports said. At least one of the women appeared to disagree and a struggle ensued, the reports said.

The women eventually wrestled Baillou to the ground, the reports said. When Baillou appeared to stop moving, the women called emergency officials, the reports said. Baillou was later pronounced dead.

According to the reports, one of the women later told police that she'd laid her arm against Baillou's neck during the struggle "until she felt safe."

A subsequent autopsy determined that Baillou died of asphyxiation, said Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Asked about the report details, Carter declined to comment, saying that an investigation into Baillou's death by the county's Homicide Task Force is ongoing.

No arrests have been made in connection to Baillou's death at this time, Carter added.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

The move to create a new public safety department eliminates the city's longstanding police and fire director positions and places both departments under the auspices of Anthony Ambrose

NEWARK - The city's police and fire departments are officially under a new regime.

The City Council approved a pair of ordinances Thursday morning, approving a new public safety department and setting a salary for a department director - who will take the place of the longstanding police and fire director positions - at between $176,000 and $190,000.

The votes officially placed the two departments, along with the city's emergency management operations, under the auspices of Anthony Ambrose, a former Newark police director and chief and Essex County chief of detectives who was installed as acting director late last month.

Council members praised the move prior to the final tally, saying they had high hopes Ambrose could help bring down homicide and shooting numbers that jumped significantly in 2015.

"We're getting someone who has experience. He also has connections with the state, the county and other law enforcement agencies," said South Ward Councilman John Sharpe James. "That's what we need right now as we rebuild our police department. We need boots on the ground....but we also need connections with those other agencies."

The city is expected to shed several jobs and save approximately $585,000 annually under the new structure. Police Director Eugene Venable will return to another role on the police department's command staff, while Fire Director James Stewart is expected to retire.

Last week, Baraka revealed that Police Chief Anthony Campos plans to retire in the coming months, and will be replaced by Acting Lt. Darnell Henry.

A single resident, Sandra Hughes, raised tempered concerns about the city's choice in director at Thursday's meetings, questioning whether misconduct by officers during Ambrose's time atop the police department between 2009 and 2006 may have helped lead the U.S. Department of Justice to announce its intention to reform the force.

"I can't say certainly, but its something that should definitely be explored," she said. "I commend his service to the city, but I think it's the right of residents to say look, 'let's take a look at this.'"

Newark public safety director says officers will 'have to work' in battle against crime

Council members, however, said that Ambrose's tenure as an administrator was defined by a peace that has since become a thing of the past in the city.

"The streets were safe, things got calm. That's why we had unprecedented nightlife (at that time)," said Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins. "We're trying to bring that kind of thing back.

Council members also agreed to have attorneys examine the ordinances after John Chrystal, president of the Newark Superior Officers Association, expressed concerns that several of the changes it instituted, such as granting a public safety director powers of discipline, were at odds with state law.

"We're not against it. We support the public safety director ordinance," he said. "We're just requesting that you amend the ordinance so that it's harmonious with state law.

The votes had originally been scheduled for the council's regular meeting on Wednesday, but were moved back a day due to an oversight by the city clerk's office when advertising the ordinance in local newspapers.

In an interview after the vote, Ambrose said he had been hard at work on a 45-day plan to reduce crime and violence in the city, which he planned to present to the mayor and other officials next week.

In comments just prior to the vote, Baraka acknowledged that he had received some pushback over the changes and the appointment of Ambrose, but said he remained steadfast that they were necessary to improve conditions for residents.

"On the one side, people say we need change. On the other side they don't want the change. It really doesn't make any sense," he said. "We can't make everybody happy. What we can do is try to make the city safe."

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Sherief Sims, 23, admitted to disposing of Dana Jinks's body after she was allegedly killed by their roommate, Danielle Small Watch video

 Sherief Sims, 23, pictured left, pleaded guilty on Dec. 23 to disposing of the dead body of his roommate, Dana Jinks, in March 2014 by placing her in garbage bags and putting them in an alleyway beside their East Orange apartment building. Another roommate, Danielle Small, 27, pictured right, is accused of stabbing Jinks to death and helping Sims to dispose of the body.Essex County Correctional Facility 

NEWARK -- In March 2014, Sherief Sims said he walked into the bathroom of his East Orange apartment and saw the body of his roommate, Dana Jinks, laying in the tub.

Sims said "she was no longer alive" and there was blood "all over the bathroom."

Sims said he and another roommate, Danielle Small, later placed Jinks's body in garbage bags and disposed of them in an alleyway beside their apartment building.

Sims said he also threw away garbage bags containing Jinks's feet and her hand.

"The body was maimed, the body was dead and you helped to move the body to hide it, correct?" Sims's attorney, Robert Guido, asked him.

"Correct," Sims replied.

The 23-year-old Sims offered that gruesome account when he pleaded guilty on Dec. 23 to charges of desecration of human remains and hindering apprehension or prosecution in connection with Jinks's killing, according to an audio recording of the hearing.

In exchange for his guilty plea, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Naazneen Khan, who is handling the case, said during the hearing that prosecutors are recommending that Sims receive a 15-year state prison sentence. Sims also will be required to testify truthfully at any future court proceedings in the case, Khan said.

His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 19 before Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler.

When he pleaded guilty before Wigler, Sims said Small killed Jinks and that he did not participate in the killing or in removing Jinks's feet and hand.  

"I believe it was Danielle," Sims said when he was asked about who killed Jinks. "That's all I know."

Charges of murder, desecration of human remains and other offenses are still pending against Small, 27, who is scheduled to appear in court on Monday for a status conference before Wigler.

Small's attorney, public defender Diane Carl, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Small is accused of stabbing Jinks, 46, to death on March 7, 2014 in the apartment located at 376 Park Avenue in East Orange, according to Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

After killing Jinks, Small allegedly placed her body in the bathtub, where Jinks remained until March 10, Carter said. Between March 7 and 10, Small allegedly removed the feet and one hand of Jinks in an attempt to dismember her, Carter said.

During the early morning hours of March 10, Sims assisted Small with disposing of Jinks's appendages and her body, Carter said. The body was wrapped in garbage bags and sheets and placed along the side of the building, where it was later discovered, Carter said.

The feet and hand were never recovered, Carter said.

During the Dec. 23 hearing, Sims said that on March 7, he observed Jinks arguing with Small in the residence about "the dirtiness of the apartment." Sims said he lived in the apartment with the two women.

After Small allegedly killed Jinks, Sims said he and Small placed Jinks's body in garbage bags and put them on the side of the building in order to "conceal the evidence." Sims also said the feet and the hand were placed in garbage bags and he took them outside and threw them "in the trash."

According to Sims, Small told him to clean the apartment and he then used bleach to clean the residence.

In pleading guilty, Sims admitted to lying to detectives during the police investigation into Jinks's death.

When detectives asked Sims whether he had moved the body, Sims said he had not, according to Sims. During the hearing, Sims also acknowledged his fingerprints were discovered on the garbage bags and the tape placed on the bags.

"Did you know what you were doing throughout this entire proceeding?" Guido, Sims's attorney, asked him during the hearing.

"I did," Sims replied.

"And you knew it was unlawful what you did?" Guido asked.

"Yes," Sims said.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

The mayor recently faced criticism over a letter sent to state Education Commissioner David Hespe asking him to curb all charter school enrollment expansion in Newark

NEWARK - Recent controversy over a letter to the state Department of Education has Mayor Ras Baraka decrying what he is calling an organized campaign to divide public and charter school parents in the city.

The Dec. 17 letter to Education Commissioner David Hespe urges the state to reject applications expand enrollment by charter networks including KIPP (TEAM Academy), Uncommon Schools (North Star Academy) and the Robert Treat Academy. He argues that their growth would unfairly siphon state aid from traditional public schools already struggling with a significant lack of resources.

"These expansions, if approved, will result in a dramatic increase of charter school payments, negatively impacting the NPS budget over the next five years, impairing the ability of NPS to provide all students with a high quality, thorough and efficient education," he wrote.

What followed in the weeks since has highlighted a rift between parents, officials and other stakeholders on how to manage the growth of charters in Newark and the influence of their supporters.

After Baraka's letter began gaining traction on social media and in education reform circles, he began drawing criticism that it was a deliberately hidden strike against non-traditional schools and their supporters.

"Here it is, the end of the year, we've just reached 105 homicides and what he's focused on is creating a moratorium against charter schools. That to me is the issue," said Matt Frankel, a spokesman for the Newark-based Parent Coalition for Excellent Education (PC2E).

On Wednesday, Baraka issued a strong response via a statement, calling Frankel's criticism "part of an organized campaign to inflame charter parents and public school parents against each other at a time when responsible public school and charter school leaders are working together to find common ground..."

Later, he doubled down by posting a video blog on the city's YouTube page, accusing some advocates of distorting his words and actively trying to promote division to further their own pursuits.

"The interesting thing is that there are forces in our city, some who are here, and some who are not here, who are interested in putting parents against one another," he said.

"There are incredible charter schools in Newark and there are incredible public schools in Newark and one should not be pit against the other. Unfortunately there are people who want to see that happen, and are using politics to see that happen."

On Thursday, seven members of the Municipal Council sent their own letter to Hespe urging him not to curb the growth of charters.

"Parents in Newark should have the option of sending their children to the school of their choice," they said.

The group, which includes the entire council, save for Council President Mildred Crump and South Ward Councilman John Sharpe James, also passed a resolution in May denouncing a three-year moratorium on the schools proposed by state Assembly members Mila Jasey (D-Essex and Morris) and Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex).

In Newark, charter schools beef up for political fight | Moran

Council members also expressed surprise that Baraka would call for limiting charter school growth, when his administration just recently approved the expansion of a charter school. In October, the planning board - whose members were all appointed by the mayor - approved a new school building for North Star Academy in vacant parking lot of the former Star Ledger building.

Department of Education Deputy Press Secretary David Saenz said all applications for expansion in Newark were still being weighed, but that all comments from the public and officials alike would be considered before any decision was rendered.

The reaction to Baraka's letter, however, reflects an increasingly mobilized bloc of charter parents and supporters. Following the Planning Board vote in October, Baraka issued a public response after charter groups spread a photo of him posing with KIPP students holding a sign supporting the network's expansion.

Mashea Ashton, CEO of the Newark Charter School Fund, said she believed the mayor was sincere in his desire to give all students access to a quality education regardless of venue.

"Where I'd love the conversation to go around this issue is how do we do that," she said, noting that many charter networks such as KIPP and Uncommon Schools had reported high demand from parents resulting in long waiting lists.

"To have elected officials say the response is no we're not going to respond to that demand, I think its unfortunate."

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

A complaint filed by the Newark Superior Officers Association charges that recent moves by Mayor Ras Baraka to reshape the Newark Police Department are illegal.

NEWARK -- A complaint filed by the Newark Superior Officers Association charges that recent moves by Mayor Ras Baraka to reshape the Newark Police Department are illegal.

In a Dec. 30 letter sent to the office of the state attorney general, the union claims that several provisions of the now approved ordinance that establishes a city department of public safety run contrary to state law.

According to the union, New Jersey law bars the head of the public safety department from exercising law enforcement powers. State law also prevents the city from granting the public safety director power to direct and discipline certain senior officers, the union claims.

"We're not against the public safety ordinance," said union president John Chrystal Thursday. "We're in support, we just want the ordinance to be harmonious with the state code, because there are parts of the ordinance that are prohibited by statute."

Reached Thursday morning, a spokesman for the office of the state attorney general declined to comment on the unions claims, but said the union's letter was received and is currently under review.

The City Council approved the ordinance in a Thursday morning vote, consolidating the leadership of the city's fire, police and emergency management departments into one public safety department.

Despite the union's concerns, Mayor Ras Baraka on Thursday afternoon indicated that he is satisfied with ordinance as it's currently written. 

"It's important to keep in mind that this ordinance was carefully considered and drafted," Baraka said in an emailed statement. "The creation of a Department of Public Safety is not unique to the State of New Jersey and cities such as East Orange and Jersey City have established them."

Legal experts involved with the creation of the Jersey City public safety department  assisted Newark officials in the drafting its own ordinance, he continued.

"We are confident that this new measure will go far towards enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of public safety for the citizens of Newark," Baraka said.

The council also approved a second ordinance establishing the base salary range for department head Anthony Ambrose at between $176,000 and $190,000. The former Essex County Chief of Detectives was installed as acting public safety director in late December.

With the council's approval, Ambrose now takes on the duties of the outgoing police and fire director positions.

Police Director Eugene Venable will return to another role on the police department's command staff. Newark Fire Director James Stewart is expected to retire.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Schools in urban areas, like Trenton and Newark, are most likely to be affected by the bill if it becomes law, its sponsor said.

TRENTON -- A proposal that would mandate a longer school day in New Jersey districts with extremely low reading scores has cleared its first legislative hurdle, despite uncertainty about how much it would cost. 

The Assembly Education Committee on Thursday approved a bill (A4779) from Democratic lawmakers that declares an "educational state of emergency" in districts where 75 percent of schools have more than 65 percent of students scoring below proficient in language arts.

The bill would require the state to give those districts a yet-to-be-determined  amount of supplemental funding to expand the school day by 2 1/2 hours for grades K-3. Schools could use the extra time to do whatever they want, including literacy support for struggling students or recreational activities. 

"If (students) are not successful at third grade, they are lost," said Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, the bill's primary sponsor. "And they have a whole host of social problems afterward." 

It's unclear exactly how many districts would receive the state of emergency designation under the lawmakers' proposal. New Jersey has yet to release a full report on 2015 district and school results of its new state tests -- the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers exams -- and Gusciora said those assessments alone shouldn't be used to decide whether a school needs assistance. 

Gusciora (D-Mercer) was asked during the Monday's hearing about the cost of the bill, but he said he couldn't provide an answer. 

A similar program in Massachusetts costs about $15 million, Gusciora said, but New Jersey's Office of Legislative Services still needs to calculate an estimate.

Schools in urban areas, like Trenton and Newark, are most likely to be affected by the bill if it becomes law, Gusciora said. Some schools in those districts had more than 70 percent of students score below proficient on their 2013-14 state language arts exams. 

Families in those districts might be grateful for a longer school day, Gusciora said. 

"We have many students who are raised by single parents, we have parents that are working two, three jobs that are not able to guide their kids," he said. "By extending the school day, I think this is a win for everyone." 

Assemblyman David Rible (R-Monmouth) questioned whether the state should give urban districts more money because they fall into Gusciora's state of emergency category. 

Urban districts receive significantly more state funding per-pupil than suburban districts.

"How much more are they going to get?" asked Rible, who voted against the proposal. 

Though the bill won its first approval, it could be back before the Assembly committee again.

New Jersey's two-year legislative cycle ends on Jan. 12, and all bills not passed by the full Senate and Assembly must be reintroduced and begin start the legislative process over again. 

Gusciora said he considers the bill a work in progress. 

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

The physical altercation occurred after a council meeting Monday night in Bloomfield, police said. Watch video

BLOOMFIELD -- Video has surfaced of an alleged fight outside a township council meeting between a town councilman and the family members of another councilman who is facing charges that he accepted a $15,000 bribe.

According to Bloomfield police, there was a "physical altercation" between Councilman Joseph Lopez and Daniel Chalet, a relative of first ward Councilman Elias Chalet, in the rear parking lot of the municipal plaza at 7:42 p.m. Monday, after a township council meeting.

N.J. councilman said $15K bribe would ensure property sale, authorities allege

The incident allegedly occurred when Daniel Chalet and a group of his cousins were walking past Lopez's car, according to police reports obtained by NJ Advance Media.

Councilman Joe Lopez. (Courtesy Joe Lopez)
 

Lopez told police that a group surrounded his car, recording him and his wife on their cell phones, when one attempted to open his car door, the report says. Lopez then kicked the door open and an argument ensued, it states.

But, Chalet, when interviewed by police at Mountainside Hospital several hours later, told police he and his cousins were walking to their car, which was parked behind Lopez's, when Lopez kicked the door open into him, the report states. Chalet claimed Lopez then punched him twice, causing his phone to fall to the ground, the report states.

Police responded to the scene of the incident. Chalet said that he went to the hospital after the incident, and called police to take a statement there. 

Lopez told police he believed the incident was retaliation for his motion during the council meeting for Elias Chalet to resign.

"How can Councilman Chalet represent the people of the first ward if he is preoccupied defending himself against criminal charges?" Lopez asked at the meeting, a recording of which is posted on the municipal website.

Saying that Chalet "betrayed the public trust," he made a motion to force the embattled councilman to resign, but the motion was not seconded by any other council member, and so was not voted on during the meeting.

Elias Chalet. (File photo) 

Lopez's comments come after Chalet was arrested in November on charges that he solicited and accepted a bribe from a township business owner to ensure the purchase of his commercial property, authorities have said. Chalet, who attended Monday night's meeting, is facing up to 10 years in jail if convicted.

Police spokesman Ralph Marotti said Wednesday that no charges had been filed in connection to the physical altercation Monday night.

Reached Thursday afternoon, Lopez said he was at the police station filing retaliation, harassment, stalking, and filing a false report complaints against Chalet. Lopez denied striking Chalet, and said that he got out of his car because he felt that he, and his wife and father who were also in the car, were being threatened.

"At first, I thought we were being carjacked," Lopez said. "We were being threatened."

Since the incident, Lopez said he has requested 24-hour police surveillance at his home, noting that he fears "further retaliation" from the Chalet family.

"It's become a traumatizing experience," he said. 

But, Chalet said Thursday that Lopez targeted his family after members came to the meeting Monday to support his cousin, Elias, and filmed Lopez during the meeting.

"He had a hot head because...we had about 200 family members (at the meeting) to support my cousin," Chalet said. "He's trying to bring my cousin down...but I think he needs to look at his own actions."

Chalet said he has pressed aggravated assault charges against Lopez, and plans to file false police report charges against Lopez and his wife, and possible charges relating to property damage, since his cell phone was damaged during the incident.

"I want to let the courts handle it," he said. "I'm fearful...about what could happen next."

Elias Chalet has not yet responded to a request seeking comment on the incident.

In a statement provided to NJ Advance Media Thursday, Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia called the situation "difficult."

"Obviously these events have been difficult for many in our community and emotions are running high," he said.

"However, it is important for both public officials and private citizens to maintain their composure and especially to not resort to violence, name calling and belligerence."

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.