A masked gunman confronted a man outside a business on Lanza Avenue in Saddle Brook around 6:51 a.m. on June 22, pointed a handgun at him and stole his money, valuables and personal items before speeding off in a getaway car with a fake license plate. More than three months later, authorities say they have tracked down two suspects, arresting them across the Hudson River in the Bronx.
A Fake Tag Cracks the Case
The gunman fled north on Midland Avenue in a white four-door vehicle with dark tinted windows, according to Daily Voice. Investigators identified that car as a 2018 Acura TLX displaying a fraudulent temporary New Jersey registration tag, a detail that ultimately linked the vehicle to 26-year-old Jacob Rodriguez, as NJ.com reports. Detectives went on to identify 27-year-old Ronny Moquete Rosario, also of the Bronx, as a second suspect in the case.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Special Investigations Squad and the Saddle Brook Police Department, per the same outlet's reporting. NJ.com notes the Saddle Brook probe was conducted under Chief John Zotollo, while the prosecutor's office worked under Chief Jeff Angermeyer.
Charges Filed, Then an Arrest in the Bronx
Rosario and Rodriguez were each charged Tuesday, Sept. 22, with first-degree armed robbery, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree aggravated assault by pointing a firearm, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office said, according to Daily Voice's reporting. Investigators found both men in the Bronx the following day with help from the FBI's New York Field Office and NYPD, that report states.
The article notes that the FBI's New York Field Office Violent Threat Initiative and the New York City Police Department assisted in the apprehension, while NJ.com's account adds that the Bergen County Sheriff's Office, Hasbrouck Heights Police Department, Paramus Police Department, Port Authority Police Department and Tenafly Police Department all assisted the broader investigation and apprehension effort. Rosario and Rodriguez were arrested without incident and remained in New York custody pending extradition to Bergen County, per the same account.
What Comes Next
Neither the identity of the Saddle Brook business nor the specific items or cash taken from the victim has been disclosed in available reporting, and it remains unclear whether the victim suffered any injuries during the confrontation. As with any pending case, the charges against Rosario and Rodriguez remain accusations, and both men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
