Two Bronx Men Charged in Armed Bergenfield Gas Station Robbery

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Bergenfield NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of MELVIN R. INOA (DOB: 7/29/1997; single; unemployed) of 1232 Clay Street, Bronx, NY and NIXON FRANCISCO-COLON (DOB: 1/05/1989; single; unemployed) of 545 W. 15th Street, Bronx, NY on charges of armed robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The arrests are the result of a joint investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Jason Love and the Bergenfield Police Department under the direction of Chief Mustafa Rabboh.

On Saturday, February 11, 2023 at approximately 8:00 p.m., the Bergenfield Police Department received a report of an armed robbery that occurred at the Delta gas station on Washington Avenue. Two male suspects, one armed with a handgun, demanded cash from the gas station attendant. The gas station attendant was then attacked and struck over the head with the firearm. The two suspects then fled the gas station with approximately $3,000.00 in cash. The Bergenfield Police Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad and a joint investigation was initiated.

During a five-month-long investigation, MELVIN INOA and NIXON FRANCISCO-COLON were identified as suspects.

On Sunday, July 16, 2023, BCPO detectives along with U.S. Customs Special Agents placed FRANCISCO-COLON under arrest at Newark-Liberty International Airport as he deboarded a flight from Honduras.
On Monday, July 17, 2023, BCPO detectives along with Special Agents from the FBI Safe Streets / Violent Crimes Task Force executed an arrest warrant in the Bronx, NY where they apprehended INOA at his residence.

MELVIN INOA and NIXON FRANCISCO-COLON were both charged with first-degree armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(1); second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a(1); second-degree possession of a firearm, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4b; and third-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

FRANCISCO-COLON was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his Central Judicial Processing Court hearing in Hackensack, NJ, and MELVIN INOA was held at New York City Police Department Central Booking awaiting extradition proceedings.

Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella would like to thank the Bergenfield Police Department, the FBI Safe Streets / Violent Crimes Task Force, and the New York City Police Department for their assistance with the investigation.