2 Paterson men charged in violent Wayne carjacking; manhunt underway for third armed suspect
The same evening as the carjacking, Wayne police spotted the suspects' getaway vehicle in Paterson. Coordinating with the Paterson Police, who set up a surveillance operation.
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Police have arrested two Passaic County men and launched a nationwide manhunt for a third suspect following a violent, midday armed robbery and carjacking that targeted construction workers earlier this month.
The incident occurred at approximately 2:45 p.m. on June 8 at 1655 Valley Road—a building slated for demolition where three contractors were actively performing work.
According to authorities, the workers were ambushed by three suspects wielding firearms and knives. During the encounter, one of the contractors was pistol-whipped by an assailant. The suspects robbed the three victims before fleeing the scene in their own getaway vehicle alongside the victim's carjacked vehicle. One victim required medical treatment at the scene.
The same evening as the carjacking, Wayne police spotted the suspects' getaway vehicle in Paterson. Coordinating with the Paterson Police, who set up a surveillance operation, officers took the occupants into custody when they returned to the vehicle without incident.
The driver, 24-year-old Brayan D. Espinal-Fernandez of Paterson, was identified as one of the primary suspects. A search of the impounded vehicle revealed evidence tying him to the crime, while two other occupants were cleared and released. Later that night, the victim's stolen car was recovered in Newark.
A second suspect, 32-year-old Luis A. Rivera-Yens, also of Paterson, was identified as the investigation progressed. During the early morning hours of June 11, Wayne detectives and the Paterson Police surveyed his home, taking him into custody and uncovering further evidence.
Both Espinal-Fernandez and Rivera-Yens have been charged with carjacking, armed robbery, theft, aggravated assault, conspiracy, and multiple weapons offenses. Both were remanded to the Passaic County Sheriff's Office Intake Hub pending detention hearings.
On June 11, detectives officially identified the third and final suspect as 25-year-old Yonathan Joel Medrano-Alvarez (also known as Joel Medrano), whose last known address is in Paterson.
Medrano-Alvarez faces identical felony charges, including carjacking and armed robbery, and has been officially entered into law enforcement databases as a wanted person with nationwide extradition. Despite extensive search efforts in Paterson, detectives have been unable to locate him.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Medrano-Alvarez or further details regarding the crime is urged to contact the Wayne Township Police Department Detective Bureau at 973-633-3530.
