Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced charges filed against a 19-year-old Essex County, NJ man — who was a 17-year-old juvenile at the time of the offense — following a home invasion, burglary, and robbery investigation that was conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Jeff Angermeyer, and the Tenafly Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Chamberlain.
On Sunday, April 30, 2023, at approximately 7:30 p.m., the Tenafly Police Department responded to a home invasion burglary and theft of a vehicle from a private resideresidence on Mahan Street in Tenafly, NJ. Responding officers spoke with the victim, who stated that an unknown male wearing a surgical mask had broken into the home, attacked him with a knife, and stole his vehicle, which was parked outside. The victim sustained a large contusion to the head and a laceration to the nose during the attack. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad was notified, responded to the scene, and initiated a joint investigation with the Tenafly Police Department.
Following the attack, law enforcement processed the crime scene and located items of evidentiary value. As a result of a years-long investigation, which included analysis of trace evidence, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Tenafly Police Department were able to identify a then-17-year-old juvenile as the masked suspect who committed the home invasion burglary and robbery.
On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, the suspect, who was already incarcerated in the Bergen County Jail on unrelated charges, was served with the charges of juvenile delinquency, specifically: second-degree robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(1); second-degree armed burglary, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2a(1); third-degree theft of movable property, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a; and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5d.
Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella would like to thank the Tenafly Police Department for its assistance in this investigation. Moreover, he thanks the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance and partnership throughout this case.