Franklin Lakes Women Assaulted and Kidnapped by New York Man on the Run from Police

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Franklin Lakes NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of JUSTIN M. GONZALEZ (DOB: 07/18/1996; single; unemployed) of 501 Elk Point Road, Livingston Manor, NY on charges of Robbery, Theft By Unlawful Taking, Burglary, Obstructing The Administration Of Law Or Government Function, Hindering Oneself, Aggravated Assault, and Kidnapping. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, the Oakland Police Department under the direction of Chief Keith Sanzari, and the Franklin Lakes Police Department under the direction of Chief Carmine Pezzuti.

In the early morning hours of October 16, 2020, the Oakland Police Department was called to a residence on Brook Hollow Road on a report of a suspicious person knocking at the door to the residence. Responding officers observed an occupied vehicle on Franklin Avenue, in the area of the caller’s home. As one officer began to approach, the driver, JUSTIN M. GONZALEZ, exited the vehicle and fled on foot. The officer chased GONZALEZ but eventually lost sight of him.

Several hours later, the Franklin Lakes Police Department received a report of a suspicious male riding a bicycle in the area of Crystal Lake Terrace. Franklin Lakes and Oakland Police responded to the area.

As Franklin Lakes and Oakland Police searched for the suspect, a resident of Crystal Lake Terrace exited her home and waved down a Franklin Lakes Police Officer. She advised the officer that a man later identified as GONZALEZ had broken into her home, assaulted her by knocking her to the ground and was hiding inside her residence. Franklin Lakes and Oakland Police conducted a search of the residence and located GONZALEZ hiding inside the fireplace chimney of the home.

As the result of the investigation, JUSTIN M. GONZALEZ was charged with one count of Kidnapping-Facilitate Crime/Flight, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:13-1b(1), a 1st degree crime; one count of Robbery, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(1), a 2nd degree crime; one count of Aggravated Assault, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b(1), a 2nd degree crime; one count of Burglary-Entering Structure, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2a(1), a 2nd degree crime; one count of Theft By Unlawful Taking, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a, a 3rd degree crime; one count of Hindering Oneself By Obstructing Apprehension By Force, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3b(2), a 3rd degree crime; one count of Receiving Stolen Property, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-7, a 3rd degree crime; one count of Burglary, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2a(1), a 3rd degree crime; one count of Attempted Burglary, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1/2C:18-2, a 3rd degree crime; two counts of Obstructing The Administration Of Law Or Government Function, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3b(2), a 4th degree crime; and one count of Theft By Unlawful Taking, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a, a disorderly persons offense. GONZALEZ was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ.

Prosecutor Musella said, “We are committed to ensuring that Bergen County is safe for everyone, and we will aggressively investigate and prosecute all Robbery and Burglary related crimes that occur in our county.”

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, and he would also like to thank the Oakland and Franklin Lakes Police Departments for their assistance in this investigation.