|
TRENTON
– Attorney General Paula T. Dow and
Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor
announced that former Prospect Park Police
Chief Frank Franco pleaded guilty today
to a criminal charge for assaulting a handcuffed
juvenile at the police station in 2008.
According
to Director Taylor, Franco, 52, of Wayne,
pleaded guilty to an accusation that charged
him with obstructing administration of law
or other governmental function, a fourth-degree
offense, before Superior Court Judge Ernest
M. Caposela in Passaic County.
In
pleading guilty, Franco admitted that on
Jan. 18, 2008, he physically assaulted a
16-year-old male who had been arrested for
a vehicle break-in. There had been several
vehicle break-ins recently in the municipality,
and it was the second time that the juvenile
had been arrested in approximately 26 hours
in connection with such crimes. When Franco
learned of the arrest by police radio, he
came to police headquarters, where officers
were processing the juvenile.
Franco
admitted that he grabbed the juvenile by
the neck with both hands, while the juvenile’s
hands were handcuffed behind his back, and
shoved him approximately 24 feet along a
wall. He also admitted taking a swing at
the juvenile with his open hand.
Under
the plea agreement, the state will recommend
that Franco be sentenced to a term of probation
and a fine to be set by the court. He will
be permanently barred from public employment
in New Jersey. Franco retired from his position
as police chief this month.
Judge
Caposela scheduled sentencing for Oct. 15.
Deputy
Attorney General Thomas Clark took the guilty
plea for the Division of Criminal Justice
Corruption Bureau. The investigation was
conducted for the Division of Criminal Justice
by Detectives Michael Behar and Laura Clarke
and Deputy Attorney General Clark.
### |
