TRENTON
— Attorney General Peter C. Harvey
today announced that a former Education
Planner employed by the New Jersey Department
of Education has pleaded guilty in criminal
court to a charge of official misconduct
for stealing more than $21,230 in money
orders received by the Department as fees
for various teaching certifications and
permits. The monies were used by the defendant
for personal expenses.
“The
Division of Criminal Justice is continuing
to aggressively investigate and prosecute
public corruption cases whether the acts
are committed by appointed or elected
officials,” Attorney General Harvey
said.
According to Vaughn L. McKoy, Director,
Division of Criminal Justice, the Special
Prosecutions Bureau filed a criminal Accusation
which charged Sandra Coia, 42, Langhorne,
PA, with one count of third degree pattern
of official misconduct. The Accusation
and guilty plea was entered before Mercer
County Superior Court Judge William Mathesius
on Aug. 23. Sentencing is scheduled for
Oct. 7.
The Accusation alleges that from March,
2003 through August, 2004, Coia, employed
as an Education Planner with the Department
of Education, diverted more than $21,230
in fees received by the Department. The
investigation determined that Coia was
responsible for processing applications
for teaching certificates, which included
remitting the fee which accompanied each
application. The Accusation charges that
Coia would process the various applications
and issue the appropriate licenses but
would remove and retain the money orders
sent by the applicants. It is charged
that Coia then altered the money orders
payable to the State of New Jersey and
used the stolen funds to pay credit card
and other personal expenses. In pleading
guilty, Coia admitted that she altered
375 money orders with individual monetary
values of $200.00 or less, deposited the
money orders into her private checking
account, or used the funds to pay credit
card expenses.
Coia, a public employee with the Department
of Education since 1986, was charged via
a complaint summons issued by New Jersey
State Police DSG Keith Dangler of the
State Government Security Bureau, on Aug.
19, 2004. In pleading guilty, Coia agreed
to repay $21,230 in restitution to the
Department of Education (the restitution
was paid to the Court after entering the
guilty plea.) Additionally, Coia faces
up to 364 days in county jail, a term
of probation, and a potential fine of
up to $15,000. Coia will be prohibited
from holding any future public employment.
Coia was suspended without pay in August,
2004, by the Department of Education.
“In
pleading guilty to official misconduct,
this defendant admitted to diverting thousands
of dollars in education monies for her
own personal use. This prosecution serves
the public interest and the interests
of justice,” said Director McKoy.
The investigation was coordinated by Deputy
Attorney General Anthony Picione assigned
to the Division of Criminal Justice -
Special Prosecutions Bureau. The investigation
was conducted by New Jersey State Police
DSG Keith Dangler and Tpr. Dustin Lesnever,
assigned to the Division of Criminal Justice
- Special Prosecutions Bureau. The investigation
was referred to the Special Prosecutions
Bureau by the Department of Education.
A copy of the Accusation, plea agreement,
and Waiver of Indictment is available
via the Division of Criminal Justice Web
site at: www.njdcj.org.
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