By: Yuritza Arroyo
Hudson County authorities announced that the Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force has arrested a third person in connection with a months-long narcotics investigation in West New York.
According to officials, James Belardo, age 41, of West New York, was arrested without incident on March 15 at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Secaucus.
Officials say Belardo, a United States Postal Service employee, has been charged with Conspiracy to Distribute (cocaine) in a quantity greater than one-half ounce, a second-degree crime.
He was released pending his first court appearance, tentatively scheduled for March 29.
Two codefendants, Rowaldi Caceres, age 39, and Hilda Membreno, age 29, both of West New York, were previously arrested.
According to authorities, on Sunday, February 26, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force members executed a court-authorized search warrant for an apartment shared by Caceres and Membreno.
The subsequent search resulted in the recovery of more than one kilogram of cocaine – with a street value of approximately $35,000 – a handgun, three large capacity magazines, and roughly $30,000, suspected proceeds from narcotics transactions.
Authorities say Caceres and Membreno were arrested at the scene.
A court-authorized search warrant for Caceres’ car was executed the following day.
The search resulted in the recovery of hollow point bullets and a second handgun.
