Lodi home invasion rape charges against Valentino Tusha

🔺 A Passaic County man is accused of breaking into a Lodi home and raping an acquaintance at knifepoint.
🔺 Police say the victim was asleep when the suspect woke her by assaulting her and cutting her face.
🔺 Court records show the man has previously faced domestic violence and strangulation charges.

A 27-year-old Passaic County man has been accused of breaking into an acquaintance’s home and raping her at knifepoint.

The Bergen County violent home invasion and sexual attack was reported on Sunday in Lodi.

Valentino Tusha, of Prospect Park, has been charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, first-degree home invasion burglary and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Victim reports knife-point sexual assault during Lodi home invasion

The victim called 911 and reported that Tusha had broken in and woke her up as he was physically on top of her.

He ordered her to take her clothes off and raped the victim at knifepoint, cutting her face in the process, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by investigators.

Tusha then left the residence, throwing the knife in some bushes outside, where responding police did recover it.

Read More: Understanding domestic violence support resources in New Jersey
https://nj1015.com/domestic-violence-resources-new-jersey/

SWAT-assisted arrest made in Prospect Park

That same day, Bergen County Regional SWAT Team helped in the arrest of Tusha in his hometown, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.

In the police report, investigators also said that Tusha strangled the victim either during this incident or previously.

Court records reveal repeated domestic violence and strangulation cases

Court records for Tusha show a pattern of reported domestic violence for well over a year out of Passaic County.

Following an incident on Dec. 8, 2024, Tusha was charged with aggravated assault, strangulation of a domestic violence victim. In February 2025, that charge was downgraded to simple assault.

A January 2025 arrest in Passaic County for violating a domestic violence restraining order was transferred to family court.

That same month, Tusha was also charged with terrorist threats, making threats of imminent death — which was also downgraded to simple assault.

Then in October, Tusha was again charged with aggravated assault, strangulation of a domestic violence victim.

In December, that was knocked down to a lesser charge of simple assault.

Tusha was being held in Bergen County Jail.

After a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court on Tuesday, he was due for a remote hearing on Thursday morning.

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