TRENTON
– Attorney General Paula T. Dow and
Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor
announced the arrest today of a former Middlesex
County sheriff’s investigator on charges
that he assisted former Sheriff Joseph C.
Spicuzzo in collecting a bribe from an individual
seeking a position in the sheriff’s
office.
According
to Director Taylor, Darrin P. DiBiasi, 43,
of Monmouth Junction, surrendered today
to detectives of the New Jersey State Police
Official Corruption Bureau on a complaint
and warrant charging him with second-degree
official misconduct. It is alleged that
DiBiasi collected a $13,000 bribe for Spicuzzo
from an individual who was hired as a sheriff’s
investigator in early 2005. The charge carries
a maximum sentence of 10 years in state
prison. DiBiasi had an initial appearance
before Superior Court Judge Anthony J. Mellaci
Jr. in Monmouth County and was released
without bail. He resigned from his job as
a sheriff’s investigator last month.
DiBiasi
is the second sheriff’s office employee
to be charged with serving as an intermediary
by collecting a bribe for Spicuzzo from
an individual seeking to be hired as a sheriff’s
investigator. Sheriff’s Officer Paul
Lucarelli, 45, of South River, was charged
in March with conspiracy to commit official
misconduct and conspiracy to commit bribery,
both second-degree offenses, for allegedly
collecting and delivering a $25,000 bribe
for Spicuzzo. He has been suspended without
pay from his position as a sheriff’s
officer.
Spicuzzo,
65, of Helmetta, was charged by complaint
on March 7 with second-degree charges of
pattern of official misconduct and bribery.
The charges stem from an ongoing investigation
by the State Police Official Corruption
Bureau and Division of Criminal Justice
Corruption Bureau.
“This
is the second sworn member of the Sheriff’s
Office to be charged with acting as a bag
man for Sheriff Spicuzzo by allegedly collecting
a bribe,” said Attorney General Dow.
“The allegations against Spicuzzo
and his co-defendants paint a disturbing
picture of abuse of power and contempt for
the law by men who took an oath to uphold
it.”
“Law
enforcement officers are rightly held to
a higher standard of conduct, but we allege
that Spicuzzo turned that principle on its
head by enlisting new recruits and subordinates
in his corrupt scheme of personal enrichment,”
said Director Taylor.
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. Following his arrest in this case,
he resigned as Middlesex County Democratic
Party chairman, a position he held for 16
years. He also resigned from his position
as a commissioner on the New Jersey Sports
& Exposition Authority, to which he
was appointed in December 2009.
The
investigation is being conducted by Detective
Sergeant First Class Garrett Duffy, Detective
Brian Murphy, Acting Detective Sgt. Lisa
King and other members of the State Police
Official Corruption Bureau, under the supervision
of Capt. Thomas T. Goletz,. The case is
being handled for the Division of Criminal
Justice Corruption Bureau by Deputy Attorney
General Vincent J. Militello and Deputy
Attorney General Lee Schaer.
Under
state law, second-degree crimes carry a
maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison
and a criminal fine of $150,000. If convicted,
Spicuzzo and Lucarelli would face a mandatory
minimum sentence of five years in prison
without parole because they are accused
of conduct that occurred after April 14,
2007, the effective date for New Jersey’s
statutory sentencing enhancements for public
corruption. DiBiasi does not face the mandatory
minimum because his alleged conduct occurred
before that date.
The
charges are merely accusations and the defendants
are 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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