Three charged in Bergen County armed home invasion; two others indicted in fraud investigation
Prosecutors say investigation into a violent home invasion uncovered an unrelated credit card fraud and identity theft operation at the targeted residence.
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Three men have been indicted in connection with an armed home invasion in Rochelle Park, while two other men face separate fraud charges after investigators uncovered unrelated criminal activity at the home that was targeted, Bergen County prosecutors announced Friday.
Police responded to a home invasion in progress on Howard Avenue at about 3 a.m. on March 10 after receiving reports that gunshots had been fired and residents were struggling with armed intruders. Officers pursued a vehicle linked to the suspects but lost sight of it and ended the chase.
A joint investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office and the Rochelle Park Police Department identified the home invasion suspects as Raudel Cangas, 41, of Linden; Kelvin F. Morel, 37, of Fair Lawn; and Miguel Sanchez, 43, of the Bronx. All three were arrested in early April with the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies.
On June 23, a Bergen County grand jury returned an 18-count indictment charging the three men with offenses including home invasion burglary, armed robbery, weapons offenses, aggravated assault and other related charges. Cangas also faces additional firearms charges.
During the investigation, detectives determined the targeted residence was being used as a short-term rental where two occupants, Marius Fica, 55, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Sorin L. Pavel, 39, of Sunnyside, New York, were allegedly engaged in credit card fraud and identity theft.
A separate Bergen County grand jury indictment unsealed June 24 charged Fica and Pavel with possession of incomplete credit cards, possession of a scanning device with intent to defraud and possession of false government documents.
