TRENTON ‑ Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa announced that a Somerset County man was convicted at trial of issuing a bad check for writing a $100,000 check to a friend, knowing that there were not enough funds in his bank account to cover the check.
 
Stephen Locrotondo, 53, of Bridgewater, was convicted by a Union County jury of a charge of second-degree issuing a bad check. The jury acquitted Locrotondo on a charge of second-degree theft by deception. The verdict followed a four-day trial before Superior Court Judge Robert Mega in Union County.  Following the verdict, Locrotondo was remanded into custody.

Judge Mega scheduled sentencing for Dec. 7. The second-degree charge of issuing a bad check carries a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000.

Between Oct. 14 and Oct. 27, 2006, Locrotondo received $100,000 from a friend, which the friend believed would be returned, with interest, in a few weeks. The jury found by its verdict that Locrotondo subsequently wrote the woman a personal check in the amount of $100,000, knowing that there were not enough funds in his bank account to cover it. 

The matter was referred to the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor by MetLife Insurance. At the time of the crime, Locrotondo was employed by MetLife Insurance, but the crime was not related to his employment there.

Detective Earl Washington and Deputy Attorney General Dennis Kwasnik were assigned to the investigation. Deputy Attorneys General Kwasnik and James Carey represented the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor at trial.