A Bayonne man has been indicted for his role in the 2017 Holmdel home invasion robbery of David Cantin and then-fiancee and former reality TV personality Dina Manzo, of The Real Housewives of NJ, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.

James Mainello, 51, of Bayonne, is charged in the seven-count indictment with: first-degree robbery, second-degree burglary, second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree aggravated assault, third-degree theft, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose; and third-degree criminal restraint. 

Mainello was arrested in May and is being held pending trial in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold Township.

The case background …

Holmdel Police responded to a 911 call reporting a home invasion robbery at 10:54 p.m. on May 13, 2017, at a townhouse on Banyan Boulevard in the township. Police arrived on scene to find two victims, David Cantin, then 37, and Dina Manzo, then 45.

The victims reported that after arriving home they were confronted by two men who were already inside the house. One of the two men struck Cantin several times with a baseball bat while Manzo was punched multiple times by the other assailant. The two victims were then bound together within the home. The attackers then fled the residence after stealing cash and jewelry.  

Cantin was able to free himself and called police, who arrived shortly thereafter. Both victims were subsequently taken to a local hospital for treatment. Cantin suffered significant facial injuries, including a broken nose. Manzo was also treated for facial injuries. Both were treated and released that night. Holmdel Police contacted the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and a joint investigation was launched, culminating in charges against Mainello. A second suspect remains at-large.  

If convicted of a first degree crime, Mainello faces up to 20 years in a New Jersey state prison on each count, subject to the provisions of the No Early Release Act (NERA), requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release from state prison. 

If convicted of a second-degree offense, Mainello faces a sentence of five to 10 years in prison. A third-degree conviction carries a custodial sentence of three to five years in prison. 

Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to contact Detective Wayne Raynor of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443, or Detective Eric Hernando of the Holmdel Police Department at 732-946-4400. 

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office