By: Richard L. Smith
Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announced the arrest of Paterson Councilman Luis Velez, 58, on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, following an investigation conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office Public Integrity Unit.
Velez was taken into custody without incident in Totowa, NJ, and has been charged with third-degree False Public Alarms, a crime that carries a potential penalty of up to five years in New Jersey State Prison.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on September 8, 2024, at approximately 2:30 p.m. at Paterson City Hall, located at 155 Market Street.
Investigators allege that Velez intentionally triggered a fire alarm located in the basement of the building despite there being no fire or emergency.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows Velez entering City Hall with two women and touching the alarm box until it was activated.
The false alarm forced an evacuation of the building and prompted a response from the Paterson Fire Department.
Velez is scheduled to appear in Central Judicial Processing Court on August 22, 2025.