Suspect Arrested In New York City After 22-Month, Multi-State Investigation

Thursday, February 26, 2026, 7:30 A.M. ET. 4 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

MAYWOOD, NJ.- A 22-month, multi-agency investigation into a violent 2024 armed robbery in Maywood has culminated in the capture of a previously elusive suspect, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced.

     Cristian Ricardo Vera Castillo, 26, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested Tuesday, February 24, 2026, in New York City by members of the New York City Police Department. Vera Castillo had been sought by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Maywood Police Department in connection with an armed robbery that occurred in Maywood on April 23, 2024.

     He is currently being held in a New York City detention facility pending extradition to Bergen County, New Jersey.

The Robbery And Early Investigation;

     As previously reported on November 1, 2024, and again on November 26, 2025, five men were charged stemming from the April 23, 2024, robbery of a jewelry store located on West Pleasant Avenue in Maywood.

     During that incident, two male suspects entered the business, brandished firearms, and pointed them at both an employee and a customer inside the store. According to prosecutors, one of the suspects physically grabbed the employee, resulting in a brief struggle.

The suspects ultimately fled the store without completing the robbery, leaving behind duct tape and zip ties, evidence investigators later cited as indicative of an attempted restraint during the crime. 

A Wider Conspiracy Uncovered;

A joint investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Jeff Angermeyer, and the Maywood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Terence Kenny, determined that the robbery involved more than the two individuals who entered the store.

     Detectives concluded that multiple suspects participated in the planning and execution of the crime, using two moped-style motorcycles and a separate vehicle to travel to and from the scene. Following a months-long, nationwide investigation throughout 2024, authorities identified, located, and arrested four suspects: Beiker A. Aguilera Areyan, Daniel A. Rivas-Alvarado, Yeison J. Amarante Bolivar, and Jhon C. Requena Yerena.

     Those four men, some of whom had fled the region, were arrested and charged between June and October 2024 and remain detained at the Bergen County Jail.

Additional Arrests And Extraditions;

     The investigation continued well beyond the initial arrests. After further investigative work, authorities charged two additional suspects: Daiker Yair Rivero Urbano and Cristian Ricardo Vera Castillo.

     On November 5, 2025, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations, Rivero Urbano was located and apprehended in Detroit, Michigan.

     He was extradited back to Bergen County on November 19, 2025, and is currently being held at the Bergen County Jail.

     At that time, authorities were unable to locate Vera Castillo, who remained a fugitive until his arrest this week in New York City.

Interagency Effort Spanning States;

     Prosecutor Musella credited a broad coalition of local, state, and federal agencies for their roles in the lengthy investigation, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Maywood Police Department.

     Additional assistance was provided by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office; the Beverly Hills Police Department in California; the Miami Police Department in Florida; the New Jersey State Police; and police departments in North Bergen, Paramus, and Rochelle Park.

     Federal support also included Homeland Security Investigations’ Detroit Field Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Detroit Sector/Gibraltar Station.

Legal Status;

     Prosecutor Musella emphasized that all charges filed in this case are accusations only, and that each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Editor’s Note:

This article was written by Art Fletcher, Executive Editor, and all information in this report is based on official statements and investigative details released by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. Charges referenced herein are allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This article will be updated as additional court proceedings, extraditions, or case developments occur.