Two Passaic County men were arrested Thursday after they were accused of running a scheme in which they posed as bail bondsmen to trick victims into paying them nearly $200,000, officials said.
The investigation began in January 2025 when detectives reviewed a series of incidents reported to local and county police involving scam telephone calls using technology that modified the incoming caller ID information, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office announced Friday.
Residents reported that an unknown caller claimed to be either an officer from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office or a bail bondsman representing the court, according to a release from the office. The callers told them there was an active warrant seeking their arrest for missing a court proceeding or for ignoring jury duty.
The caller would arrange to meet their victims in person with a so-called official and have them hand over large sums of money in order to to avoid incarceration, the office said.
Investigators quickly determined that the scheme involved as many as nine victims from throughout Bergen County whose combined losses were about $190,000, authorities said.
The office’s cyber crimes unit began tracing the calls while other detectives identified a car used for traveling to and from meetings with victims, investigators said.
Yasen Delgado, 26, and Ahjainay Gawthney, 27, both of Paterson, were eventually identified as the suspects and on Thursday, detectives executed a search warrant at their homes, the office said.
While searching the homes, police found fentanyl, prescription drugs, drug packaging materials, stamps used for heroin packaging, cutting agents, empty glassine bags, electronic scales, drug paraphernalia, and cash proceeds, officials said.
They also found a loaded, unregistered handgun with illegal hollowpoint ammunition belonging to Delgado and a loaded, illegal assault rifle that belonged to Delareese Delgado, 31, of Paterson, authorities said.
Yasen and Delareese Delgado and Gawthney were arrested and charged with multiple crimes and placed in the custody of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, officials said.
Yasen Delgado was charged with first-degree maintaining a premise for the manufacture of CDS, two counts of second-degree theft by deception, ten counts of second-degree theft by extortion and multiple drug-related offenses, the office said.
Gawthney was charged with multiple second and third-degree theft-related charges as well as third-degree money laundering, prosecutors said.
Delareese Delgado was charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and fourth-degree prohibited weapons and devices, authorities said.
The trio was taken to the Bergen County Jail where they will be held until their first court appearances.
Prosecutors reminded residents that law enforcement does not demand payment over the phone or threaten arrest in this manner.
Stories by Chris Sheldon
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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.