the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Moonachie NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of ABDEL W. SHILEH (DOB: 3/16/1986; single; car detailer) of 93 Moonachie Avenue, Moonachie, NJ on drug, burglary, and weapons charges; and the arrests of TURRON K. WARD (DOB: 07/16/1978) of 30 Laurel Avenue, Irvington, NJ and MICHAEL HAYES (DOB: 10/01/1980) of 193 Bartholdi Avenue, Jersey City, NJ on weapons related charges. The arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Jason Love and the Moonachie Police Department under the direction of Chief Richard Behrens.
On March 24, 2022, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force and Moonachie Police Department surveilled ABDEL SHILEH as he met with gun buyers TURRON WARD and MICHAEL HAYES at SHILEH’s residence at 93 Moonachie Avenue, Moonachie, NJ and his place of employment located at 92 Moonachie Avenue, Moonachie, NJ. A motor vehicle stop and subsequent search warrant on WARD’s vehicle revealed an aftermarket hidden compartment that contained two stolen handguns, one of which contained a large capacity ammunition magazine.
TURRON WARD and MICHAEL HAYES were each charged with two counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1); two counts of third-degree receiving stolen property, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-7a; and fourth-degree possession of a large capacity ammunition magazine, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3j. Both WARD and HAYES were remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending their first appearances in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ.
On March 28, 2022, in continuance of this narcotics and firearms distribution investigation, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force, Moonachie Police Department and the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team executed search warrants at SHILEH’s residence and his place of employment in Moonachie, NJ. A search of the residence revealed crystal methamphetamine, eighteen stolen handguns, twelve stolen rifles, a stolen assault rifle, a stolen grenade launcher, and drug paraphernalia. SHILEH was apprehended in his apartment. An additional search of SHILEH’s place of employment revealed two stolen rifles and stolen sports memorabilia.
ABDEL SHILEH was placed under arrest without incident and charged with second-degree armed burglary, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2b(2); two counts of second-degree unlawful sale of a firearm, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-9i; seventeen counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b; thirty counts of second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4.1a; second-degree possession of a destructive device for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4.1c; second-degree unlawful possession of an assault firearm, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5f; third-degree burglary, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2; third-degree theft by unlawful taking, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a; third-degree possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(9)(b); thirteen counts of third-degree unlawful possession of a rifle, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5c; eighteen counts of fourth-degree receiving stolen property, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-7; and fourth-degree unlawful sale of an extended ammunition magazine, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-9h.
ABDEL SHILEH was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ.
Prosecutor Mark Musella states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He would like to thank the Moonachie Police Department, Bergen County Sheriff’s Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team for their assistance in this investigation.