By: Richard L. Smith
Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announces the arrest of Antonio Moore, 39, of Newark.
Prosecutor Carmelia M. Valdes said Mr. Antonio Moore was arrested without incident today in Totowa, by members the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office Public Integrity Unit.
Mr. Moore was charged with one count of third degree Theft, in violation of N.J.S. 2C:20-3a. A third degree crime carries a maximum sentence of five years in New Jersey State Prison.
Prosecutor Valdes said Moore is employed by the Paterson Fire Department.
She said on August 21, 2022, Clifton Police arrested an individual and transported him to Saint Joseph’s Hospital.
The arrestee’s personal property, including a gold chain and the arrest warrant paperwork, were placed into a property bag.
The property bag was left on a gurney when the officers escorted the arrestee into a bathroom to get changed.
When the Clifton Officers returned, the bag had been removed. The property bag was found inside a trash bin, but the gold chain was missing.
The investigation obtained video surveillance of the location of the theft.
That video footage of the hallway shows a man in a Paterson Emergency Medical Services uniform remove the property bag from the unattended gurney.
The investigation identified that individual as Moore.
The investigation in this matter remains ongoing.
Prosecutor Valdes said further information will not be released so as not to jeopardize the safety of persons involved or to jeopardize the investigation in progress.
The defendant has been released pending further court proceedings, and he is scheduled for Central Judicial Processing on July 5, 2023.