First Assistant Prosecutor Wayne Mello has been appointed as the new Acting Prosecutor for Hudson County, according to an announcement from Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. Mello took over the position at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office (HCPO) on July 31, 2025, following the retirement of Esther Suarez, who led the office since 2015.
Mello will now oversee a team of about 70 assistant prosecutors and more than 100 detectives in their efforts to investigate and prosecute cases involving violent crime, gun violence, narcotics distribution, cybercrimes, and gang activity across Hudson County.
“As Acting Hudson County Prosecutor, Wayne Mello will bring valuable prosecutorial and leadership experience, institutional knowledge, and continuity,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Respected by prosecutors and defense attorneys alike, his talent, background, attention to detail, and heartfelt work on behalf of victims make him the right choice to lead the fight for justice for the people of Hudson County. I also want to thank his predecessor, Esther Suarez, for her many years of dedicated public service, during which she built up her office’s investigative, emergency-response, and victim-advocacy capabilities, and worked hard in seeking justice and making Hudson County safer.”
“I am profoundly grateful and honored to be asked by Attorney General Platkin to serve in this position,” said Acting Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello. “I look forward to taking on the challenges of the role and having the opportunity to stand up for victims, pursue justice, to improve public safety, and to ensure the well-being of all Hudson County residents.”
Mello joined HCPO as First Assistant Prosecutor in 2016 after serving with both Morris and Bergen County Prosecutor’s offices. In Bergen County he was Chief Homicide Assistant Prosecutor.
During his career Mello prosecuted several high-profile cases. In 2006 he handled a Ramsey homicide case where Edward Ates was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Paul Duncsak. The defense argued that Ates’ health made him incapable of committing murder but prosecutors presented evidence showing premeditation; Ates received a life sentence with parole eligibility only after more than 63 years.
Mello also prosecuted Stephen F. Scharf for murder in a case that involved reopening an investigation into Jody Ann Scharf’s death at Palisades Interstate Park in Bergen County. The original cause of death was undetermined but further review found evidence inconsistent with an accidental fall; Scharf was convicted by jury and sentenced to life in prison.
Mello is a graduate of St. Peter’s University in Jersey City and Rutgers School of Law. He has been admitted to practice law in New Jersey since 1977. He also served as an Infantry First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
