Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of 24-year-old JULIO A. PEREZ of North Bergen, NJ; 21-year-old JUSTIN L. ACOSTA of Charles Town, WV; and 23-year-old KENNY M. VEGA of West New York, NJ on charges stemming from an armed robbery in Edgewater, NJ. Additionally, Prosecutor Musella announced charges against 21-year-old JADEN A. VAZQUEZ of Guttenberg, NJ. These arrests and the charges filed in this matter are the result of a year-long investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Edgewater Police Department, under the direction of Chief Donald Martin.
On Thursday, June 13, 2024, at approximately 7:50 p.m., officers from the Edgewater Police Department responded to an armed robbery at a commercial parking lot on River Road. Responding officers learned that five victims, including two juveniles, parked their vehicle in the lot when two masked men with firearms approached them. The suspects demanded the keys to the victim’s vehicle, patted down some of the victims, and threatened to shoot them if they didn’t comply with their demands. One of the suspects then tried to break the rear passenger side window of the victim’s vehicle by using the grip of the handgun. The suspects ultimately fled the scene in a getaway vehicle prior to the arrival of police. Accordingly, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad was notified of the armed robbery and initiated a joint investigation with the Edgewater Police Department.
During a lengthy investigation over the course of the next seven months, detectives identified the vehicle used during the commission of the crime, as well as JUSTIN L. ACOSTA and JULIO A. PEREZ as two of the suspects responsible for the armed robbery in Edgewater, NJ that evening.
Consequently, on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad located and arrested JUSTIN L. ACOSTA outside of his former residence in Guttenberg, NJ. Detectives impounded ACOSTA’s vehicle, later conducting a court-authorized search of it, and located a large capacity ammunition magazine, a standard handgun magazine, and 9mm ammunition. The next day, on Thursday, February 13, 2025, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Charles Town (WV) Police Department, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad travelled to Charles Town, West Virginia and executed a court-authorized search warrant at JUSTIN L. ACOSTA’s residence.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, February 13, 2025, with the assistance of the Hudson County Regional SWAT Team, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigation Squad executed a court-authorized search warrant at the residence of JULIO A. PEREZ in North Bergen, NJ. PEREZ was not initially located, but subsequently surrendered himself to law enforcement on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
The investigation continued over the course of several more months, and detectives ultimately identified KENNY M. VEGA and JADEN A. VAZQUEZ as additional suspects involved in the armed robbery.
On Monday, July 28, 2025, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Edgewater Police Department located and arrested KENNY M. VEGA outside of his residence in West New York, NJ. VEGA was arrested without incident.
Pursuant to his arrest on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, as well as the results of the subsequent court-authorized search of his vehicle, JUSTIN L. ACOSTA was charged with first-degree armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(2); second-degree conspiracy to commit armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a(1) / N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(2); second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1); second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a(1); third-degree terroristic threats, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-3a; and fourth-degree possession of a large capacity magazine, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3j. ACOSTA was remanded to the Bergen County Jail where he remains in custody pending trial.
Pursuant to his arrest on Thursday, February 18, 2025, JULIO A. PEREZ was charged with first-degree armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(2); second-degree conspiracy to commit armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a(1) / N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(2); second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1); second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a(1); and third-degree terroristic threats, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-3a. PEREZ was remanded to the Bergen County Jail where he remains in custody, pending trial.
Pursuant to his arrest on Monday, July 28, 2025, KENNY M. VEGA was charged with first-degree armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(2); second-degree conspiracy to commit armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a(1) / N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(2); second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1); second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a(1); and third-degree terroristic threats, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-3a. VEGA was remanded to the Bergen County Jail, pending a detention hearing in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, NJ.
As a result of this year-long investigation, JADEN A. VAZQUEZ was likewise charged in connection with this case and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. To date, attempts to locate and arrest VAZQUEZ have been unsuccessful; he remains a fugitive from justice.
Accordingly, JADEN A. VAZQUEZ was charged with first-degree armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(2); second-degree conspiracy to commit armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a(1)/ N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(2); second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1); second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a(1); and third-degree terroristic threats, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-3a. This investigation is continuing and anyone with information about the whereabouts of JADEN A. VAZQUEZ may contact the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Tips Line at (201) 226-5532.
Prosecutor Mark Musella states that all of the charges against all of the defendants are merely accusations, and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella thanks the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for their coordination and assistance in this investigation. Furthermore, Prosecutor Musella thanks and recognizes the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office; Edgewater Police Department; and Federal Bureau of Investigation (North Jersey Violent Crimes & Safe Streets Task Force) for their assistance in this complex investigation. Lastly, he thanks the Charles Town (WV) Police Department; the Guttenberg Police Department; the Hudson County Regional SWAT Team; the North Bergen Police Department; and the West New York Police Department for their assistance with the apprehension of the various defendants.
