EMERSON, N.J. (May 16, 2025)—A senior fire official in the Borough of Emerson has been charged with forgery and falsifying public records, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced May 16.
According to Musella, 45-year-old Richard A. Solimando was arrested following an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Confidential Investigations Unit, which looked into alleged misconduct between Jan. 7 and Jan. 27, 2025. Authorities say that while serving as a senior fire captain, Solimando improperly conducted respirator fit tests for Emerson Fire Department members and signed fraudulent acknowledgments for each report.
He is charged with third-degree forgery and fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records. He was arrested in Paramus and released pending a court appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack.
Musella emphasized that the charges are accusations and that Solimando is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
We have reached out to Solimando and local officials for comment.