TRENTON
– Attorney General Anne Milgram and
Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni
announced that a former civilian aide for
the Irvington Police Department has pleaded
guilty to stealing more than $31,000 in
coins from municipal parking meters.
According
to Director Gramiccioni, Rodney Dennis,
52, of Irvington, pleaded guilty yesterday
to second-degree official misconduct before
Superior Court Judge Michael A. Petrolle
in Essex County. The charge was contained
in a June 18, 2008 state grand jury indictment.
Under
the plea agreement, the state will recommend
that Dennis be sentenced to three to five
years in state prison. In addition, Dennis
will be required to pay full restitution
to the City of Irvington of $31,885. Judge
Petrolle scheduled his sentencing for Feb.
25.
Dennis
was a civilian employee of the Irvington
Police Department whose duties included
removing the coins from street parking meters,
bagging the coins, and depositing them into
a police department bank account. In pleading
guilty, Dennis admitted that between Jan.
21 and Dec. 9, 2006, he took $31,885 in
coins from Irvington parking meters and
deposited them in his personal bank account
for his personal use. Dennis was fired from
his municipal job in February 2008, after
the thefts came to light. An investigator
at the bank where Dennis had the account
alerted the Irvington Police Department
about the suspicious coin deposits. The
police department referred the matter to
the Division of Criminal Justice.
The
case was investigated by Detective Harry
Maronpot of the Division of Criminal Justice
Corruption Bureau. Deputy Attorney General
Michael A. Monahan presented the case to
the state grand jury and took yesterday’s
guilty plea.
The
Division of Criminal Justice has established
a toll-free Corruption Tipline for the public
to report corruption, financial crime and
other illegal activities: 1-866-TIPS-4CJ.
Additionally, the public can log on to the
Division Web site at www.njdcj.org
to report suspected wrongdoing. All information
received through the Tipline or Web page
will remain confidential.
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