Stolen Property

MORRIS COUNTY — A Morris County woman may be allowed to enter pre-trial intervention on charges of receiving property stolen by three men accused in a widespread burglary spree of automated-teller machines, authorities said in court today.

Meanwhile, Superior Court Judge David Ironson today forwarded the criminal cases against the three men directly to a grand jury for review.

The four co-defendants each had hearings today in Superior Court in Morristown. Courtesy of Prosecutor’s OfficeAlan Correa, one of the three “ATM bandits” who stole tens of thousands of dollars in connection with a burglary spree, is the ex-husband of Edilma Cortes-Zambrano.The woman, Edilma Cortes-Zambrano, 33, of Dover, who is the ex-wife of one of the so-called “ATM bandits” arrested last month, was charged that same day with possessing stolen property and hindering apprehension.

She allegedly was found removing a stolen computer, television and cameras from the Wharton home of her ex-husband, Alan Correa, 36, as investigators went there to execute a search warrant after Correa and the other two men were arrested.

Cortes-Zambrano’s defense attorney, James Porfido, is trying to have Cortes-Zambrano enrolled in pre-trial intervention — a diversionary program for certain non-violent, first-time offenders that upon successful completion results in charges dismissed and a clean record. Cortes-Zambrano would consent to be interviewed by investigators later this week and cooperate with them, and in return may be enrolled in pre-trial intervention as soon as Tuesday, April 13, Porfido said.

“Hopefully, we’ll resolve the case next Tuesday,” Porfido told the judge. Morris County Assistant Prosecutor Amy Mastrosimone added, “We’re trying to work this out. We’re very close.” Mastrosimone said that no plea offers have yet been made to the three men, because the prosecutor’s office is still in the “discovery” process of gathering and reviewing all of the information in the case to provide to public defender Dolores Mann, who represents each of them. Mann said she would file motions for probable-cause hearings if discovery takes too long. Correa and the other two men, Hector Lasanta, 28, of Parsippany, and Olvil Lasanta, 30, of Dover, face about 100 charges of burglary, theft and conspiracy in the crime spree that took place in Morris, Somerset and Essex counties. They allegedly burglarized numerous office buildings and a church, from Nov. 15 to March 12, and once inside used acetylene torches and power tools to cut, smash and break into ATMs. They allegedly stole $97,000 in cash and $25,000 worth of property, authorities said.

All four of the co-defendants remain held in the Morris County jail in lieu of bails.