Hopatcong Men Trespassed at High School, Tried Beating Up Student, Cops Say

Two Hopatcong men have been charged with trespassing when it was learned they were on school property, allegedly waiting to assault a teen student there, Lt. Thomas Kmetz said.

On Thursday, Sept. 5, Hopatcong Officer Barta was patrolling the Hopatcong High School parking lot when he was flagged down by an administrator there, Kmetz said. The administrator asked Barta if he saw David Berry, 23, and Nathan Torres, 18, anywhere on school property. When Barta said yes, the administrator told police that Berry was given a certified letter stating he was not allowed on school property and any time he did so would be considered trespassing, Kmetz said.

At that point the administrator said he wanted to give the same letter to Torres, but could not locate a physical address, Kmetz said. Barta then went to Torres’ home and found both men there, Kmetz said.

Barta charged Berry with trespassing and told Torres he was also not allowed on school grounds or would face the same charge, Kmetz said.

At 8:30 p.m. Officer Sadowski received a complaint that Torres and his brother had returned to the school and were looking to assault a juvenile, Kmetz said. A school team’s coach called the police after the victim confided in him.

Torres was charged with trespassing, Kmetz said.

Torres was arrested twice in late July on separate assault offenses when he first resisted arrest when his brother punched a woman in the face in the Rite Aid parking lot, and two days later when he and his brothers jumped a 21-year-old man and assaulted him. Bail was sought after the second offense because of the threat the Torres brothers posed to the community.

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