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TRENTON
– Attorney General Paula T. Dow, Criminal
Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor and Superintendent
of State Police Colonel Rick Fuentes announced
that former Middlesex County Sheriff Joseph
C. Spicuzzo was arrested this morning on
charges that he demanded bribes of up to
$25,000 from individuals seeking employment
or promotions in the sheriff’s office.
According
to Director Taylor, Spicuzzo, 65, of Helmetta,
N.J., surrendered to State Police detectives
in Hamilton, Mercer County. He was charged
by complaint with pattern of official misconduct
and bribery, both second-degree offenses.
Each charge carries a maximum sentence of
10 years in state prison, with a mandatory
minimum term of five years without possibility
of parole. The charges stem from an ongoing
investigation by the New Jersey State Police
Official Corruption Bureau. The Division
of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau is
prosecuting the case.
It
is alleged that on two or more occasions
from 2007 to 2008, while serving as county
sheriff, Spicuzzo demanded that different
individuals pay him bribes in return for
him appointing them as new sheriff’s
investigators or promoting them within the
sheriff’s office. Sheriff’s
officers are hired through the civil service
system, but sheriff’s investigators
are appointed by the sheriff. It is alleged
that Spicuzzo solicited and accepted individual
bribes of up to $25,000 from new hires for
investigator positions. He allegedly took
bribes totaling at least $50,000.
Spicuzzo
was Middlesex County Sheriff for nearly
30 years. He is currently Middlesex County
Democratic Party chairman, a position he
has held for 16 years, and a commissioner
on the New Jersey Sports & Exposition
Authority, to which he was appointed in
December 2009.
“This
is an outrageous case of abuse of power
and public office,” said Attorney
General Dow. “Sheriff Spicuzzo allegedly
introduced young recruits to a career in
law enforcement by demanding that they pay
him bribes of up to $25,000.”
“We
charge that Spicuzzo was selling positions
in the sheriff’s office,” said
Director Taylor. “Official misconduct
does not get much more audacious and venal
than this.”
“Offenses
of this nature erode the trust that the
public expects from law enforcement officials,”
said State Police Superintendent Colonel
Rick Fuentes. “We have to ensure the
citizens of New Jersey that this type of
behavior is unacceptable and has dire consequences.”
The
state’s investigation revealed that
young applicants who were trying to obtain
law enforcement positions as investigators
were forced to use all sources of funding
available to them to pay the alleged bribes.
It is alleged that Spicuzzo also solicited
bribes from more senior members of the office
seeking promotion to new positions.
The
investigation into alleged misconduct by
Spicuzzo in the sheriff’s office is
continuing, and further details of the investigation
will not be released at this time.
Attorney
General Dow thanked Colonel Fuentes and
the detectives assigned to investigation:
Lieutenant Thomas T. Goletz, Detective Sergeant
First Class Garrett Duffy and other members
of the New Jersey State Police Official
Corruption Bureau, under the supervision
of Capt. David J. Dalrymple, who heads the
Bureau. Deputy Attorney General Vincent
Militello is prosecuting the case for the
Division of Criminal Justice Corruption
Bureau, under the supervision of Deputy
Attorney General Christine Hoffman, Chief
of the Corruption Bureau.
Under
state law, second-degree crimes carry a
maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison
and a criminal fine of $150,000. Each of
the charges carries a mandatory minimum
sentence of five years in prison without
parole under New Jersey’s statutory
sentencing enhancements for public corruption.
The mandatory minimum sentence applies to
certain listed offenses occurring on or
after April 14, 2007 that involve or touch
upon the defendant’s public office.
Spicuzzo could potentially face consecutive
sentences on the charges.
The
charges are merely accusations and the defendant
is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Because the charges are indictable offenses,
they will be presented to a grand jury for
potential indictment.
Attorney
General Dow and Director Taylor noted that
the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption
Bureau has established a toll-free Corruption
Tipline 1-866-TIPS-4CJ
for the public to report corruption, financial
crime and other illegal activities. Additionally,
the public can log on to the Division of
Criminal Justice Web page at www.njdcj.org
to report suspected wrongdoing. All information
received through the Division of Criminal
Justice Corruption Tipline or Web page will
remain confidential.
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