file photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Palisades Park NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of DAVID BAEZ (DOB: 7/21/1985; married; unemployed) and MASSIEL INOA (DOB: 2/7/1993; married; unemployed) of 267 Hillside Avenue, Palisades Park on drug related offenses. The arrests are the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Jason Love and the Hackensack Police Department under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Captain Darrin DeWitt.
Pursuant to a joint narcotics investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force and the Hackensack Police Department, DAVID BAEZ was identified as a distributor of narcotics and was at-large for an outstanding robbery warrant out of New York City. On August 27, 2021, a search warrant was executed at DAVID BAEZ’s residence at 267 Hillside Avenue, Palisades Park. Immediately prior to the execution of the search warrant, DAVID BAEZ departed from the residence in his vehicle and was stopped nearby. A .357 Magnum handgun and U.S. currency was recovered during a search of his vehicle. DAVID BAEZ was placed under arrest without incident.
Also at this time, members of the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team executed the search warrant at BAEZ’s residence. DAVID BAEZ’s wife MASSIEL INOA and their juvenile children were in the home. A search of the residence revealed approximately 80 pounds of marijuana, drug paraphernalia associated with the distribution of marijuana and a large amount of U.S. currency and money orders. MASSIEL INOA was placed under arrest without incident.
The U.S. currency and money orders seized during this investigation totaled $303,610.00, and the estimated street value of the marijuana seized is $160,000.00.
DAVID BAEZ was charged with one count of first-degree possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1)/5b10(a); one count of first-degree maintaining a drug production facility, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-4; one count of second-degree money laundering, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25a; one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1); and one count of second-degree being a certain person having been convicted of the crime of robbery and possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances, not to possess a firearm, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-7b(1).
MASSIEL INOA was charged with one count of first-degree possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1)/5b10(a); one count of first-degree maintaining a drug production facility, N.J.S.A. 2C:35-4; and one count of second-degree money laundering, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25a.
DAVID BAEZ and MASSIEL INOA were remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending their first appearances 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, and he would like to thank the Hackensack Police Department, Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, Bergen Regional SWAT Team and the Palisades Park Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.
They weren’t unemployed. They were busy!