Bergen Man Out Under Bail Reform Law Charged With Attempted Murder: Prosecutor

A Bergen County man was charged with first-degree attempted murder after he allegedly shot someone in the leg just days after his release from jail under the state's new bail reform law — his second such release.

Andrew Morales, 29, of Garfield, was arrested Friday, less than three weeks after he was arrested on drug-related charges out of Paterson, said Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes.

Morales and six other men were arrested Feb. 27 and charged with maintaining a drug production facility in Paterson, Valdes said. Morales was already on released on bail pending a sentence on an earlier unrelated charge of possession of a handgun. He was sentenced to five years in state prison as a result of that investigation.

Morales appeared before Passaic County Superior Court Judge Justine Niccollai March 3 for a pretrial hearing. Niccollai released Morales from the Passaic County Jail to home detention pending his May 12 sentence on the earlier handgun charge, which he plead guilty to, Valdes said.

"The judge took into consideration numerous factors like the previous case, which involved multiple defendants and there were issues as to what extent he might have been involved in that matter," said Passaic County Assistant Prosecutor Jonathan Barrera.

Morales allegedly shot someone in the leg March 9 after an argument on a Paterson street, Valdes said. He was arrested Friday on the attempted murder charge. He was also charged with second-degree possession of a handgun and possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose. He is currently in custody in the Passaic County Jail.

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Andrew Morales, 29, of Garfield — Passaic County Prosecutor's Office/Background image via Shutterstock