MAYWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT
15 Park Avenue Maywood, NJ 07607
MAYWOOD RESIDENT CHARGED WITH LURING
On Sunday, June 25, 2017 at approximately 8:45 p.m., the Maywood Police Department received a report of two juvenile females possibly being lured by a male party into a white vehicle on West Pleasant Avenue near Lincoln Avenue. Responding patrol officers, P.O. Donatello and P.O. Nichols, were able to obtain information of a partial New Jersey license plate through a witness and a description of the actor from the two victims.
The victims reported the black male suspect was wearing thick black glasses and operating a newer model Honda Accord. The victims reported as they passed by this vehicle, which was parked on West Pleasant Avenue, the driver twice offered them a free ride home. The victims ran in the opposite direction and the vehicle left and began to travel north on Lincoln Avenue.
A few minutes later, the juveniles began to walk west on West Pleasant Avenue at which time the suspect vehicle approached them again and asked for their telephone numbers and asked why they were afraid of him. The vehicle was last seen traveling south on Lincoln Avenue.
Det. Matthew Parodi began the investigation into this case. Det. Parodi was able to obtain images of the actual vehicle from local businesses video cameras on West Pleasant Avenue and observed a distinct sticker on the vehicle’s windshield. He then worked with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to identify the suspect vehicle. The actual vehicle was identified and the same sticker was affixed to the front windshield as seen in the surveillance photographs.
The New Jersey State Police Composite Artist Unit was contacted and developed a sketch of the suspect with one of the victims and a sketch was subsequently developed and distributed statewide.
The morning hours July 3, 2017, Maywood Police Officers located a person of interest in the case. An interview was conducted and Det. Parodi subsequently arrested Anyelo A. Mejia, 37, of Maywood for two counts of Luring a Child (2nd degree). Mr. Mejia was processed and released with a CJP Court Date.
Anyelo A. Mejia, 37, Maywood
