KPD: 2 nabbed with phony $50s

Two Newark teenagers were arrested July 10 for allegedly attempting to pass counterfeit bills at businesses along Kearny Ave.

Reports began coming in to KPD headquarters at 1:30 p.m., Chief John Dowie said. Officer Jordenson Jean responded to a complainant on the 100 block of the avenue and got a description of the suspects.

A short time later, after Officer Jose Resua alerted units that an attempt had been made at a business on the 300 block, Sgt. Peter Gleason spotted the two at Kearny and New Lawn Aves. There, they were detained by Gleason, Sgt. Scott Traynor and Officers Jack Grimm and Kevin Arnesman.

Jean brought the original victim to the scene for a drive-by identification, and the police arrested Terrence Miller, 19, and Kevin Nouvi, 18, who were allegedly in possession of counterfeit $50 bills and checks belonging to a construction company.

Police said Miller was also found to have no-bail warrants from the Essex County Sheriff’s Office.

The pair were remanded to the Hudson County Jail on $20,000 bail each.

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Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:

July 12 

At 5:20 a.m., Officer Sean Kelly spotted what appeared to be an unoccupied 2000 Honda Civic sitting at the light on Laurel Ave. at Elm St. (yes, right in front of KPD HQ). Investigating, Kelly found driver Randy Sandoval, 26, of Kearny, “slouched over the center console,” police said. After putting the car in park and turning off the engine, the officer awakened him, conducted field sobriety tests and escorted him into HQ for an Alcotest. Sandoval was charged with DWI, reckless driving and obstructing traffic.

• • •

At 6:20 a.m., Officers John Fabula and Dean Gasser responded to a report of a woman screaming in the area of Kearny and Wilson Aves. They arrived to find the male half of what had apparently been a girlfriend-boyfriend argument. Said male, Magno Fortunato, 20, of Harrison, was questioned, allegedly found to be in possession of a “large plastic bag of marijuana,” and was arrested and charged with possession of and paraphernalia.

• • •

Officer Gasser and Sgt. Paul Bershefski were called to a Windsor St. address at 11:20 a.m. by a resident who said someone had been banging on and tried to kick in his apartment door. The officers searched the building and in the basement reportedly found Mario Aiello, 40, of Kearny, who was charged with criminal trespass and criminal mischief.

July 13

At 8 p.m., a woman reported that a man was urinating in public in her presence near Wilson and Highland Aves. Det. Michael Farinola, Sgt. Dave Rakowski and Officer Resua searched the area, and a man fitting the offender’s description was located at Wilson and Davis Aves. Lawrence Greer, 49, of Kearny, was issued a town ordinance-violation summons. Police said he was also found to have three outstanding warrants — one each from Newark, Northvale and Little Silver. Those jurisdictions were notified that he was in custody. (Editorial comment: The N.Y.C. Council is thinking about decriminalizing what it terms “minor” offenses, including peeing in public. But there can be advantages to enforcing such rules.)

• • •

Sgt. Rakowski and Officers Jay Ward and Philip Finch responded to 9 p.m. report by a concerned citizen about an individual apparently using drugs in a Chevy parked on the 100 block of Hoyt St. Police said a heavy odor of burning marijuana emanated from the car, and that, when asked what he was doing, the occupant responded, “Smoking a joint.” A hollowed-out cigar and three plastic bags of pot were reportedly in plain view. Christian Breeden, 34, of Kearny, was charged with possession of the drug and paraphernalia and being under the influence of a CDS.

July 14 

Shortly before 1 a.m., Officer Ben Wuelfing was patrolling at Schuyler Ave. and Hoyt St. when a 2002 Chrysler “abruptly” cut in front of his marked radio car. The Chrysler was pulled over and its driver, Pablo Andrade, 26, of Kearny, was reportedly found to have a suspended license and five non-suspended warrants: two from Elizabeth and one each from East Newark, Bloomfield and Newark. He was charged on those and with failure to yield the right-of-way, failure to exhibit an insurance card, and driving while suspended. The other jurisdictions were notified.

• • •

At 4:40 p.m., Officer Kelly was called to a Kearny Ave. counseling facility after a client allegedly threatened an employee with bodily harm. A warrant was drawn for the arrest of suspect Paul McGinnis, 45, of Kearny, who was arrested by Vice officers at 8 p.m. at Elm St. and Midland Ave. He was charged with making terroristic threats.

• • •

At 9:30 p.m., Vice officers spotted a familiar individual, Robert Paulter, 31, of Ogdensburg, entering Kearny on a bicycle near Passaic Ave. and Belgrove Drive. Stopping him for a field investigation, they reportedly found him to be in possession of 10 wax folds of heroin, stamped “Every Day.” He was charged with possession and was released on summonses.

July 15 

Jordan Thomas, 25, of Kearny, was arrested on a township ordinance violation warrant after he was spotted by Officer Jean at 8:45 p.m. at Kearny and Bergen Aves.

– Karen Zautyk 

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