Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Role in North Bergen Homicide

A Secaucus man was sentenced to 20 years in New Jersey State Prison on March 27, 2026, for his role in a 2024 fatal shooting in North Bergen, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello.

The Honorable Angelo Servidio sentenced James Baker, 26, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated manslaughter. The sentence is subject to the No Early Release Act. Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Kevin Roe represented the State.

The case stems from an incident reported shortly after 9 a.m. on August 5, 2024, when the North Bergen Police Department responded to a call about an injured man near Meadowview Avenue and 61st Street. Officers located Juan Ortiz, 31, of North Bergen, with apparent gunshot wounds.

Ortiz was transported to Palisades Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 9:40 a.m.