| TRENTON
-Attorney General Zulima V. Farber announced
that the former Old Bridge Township engineering
inspector has been sentenced in Middlesex
County Superior Court to seven years in
state prison and ordered to pay more than
$7,000 in restitution after pleading guilty
to charges of soliciting and receiving thousands
of dollars in financial favors from developers
doing business with the Township.
“This
sentence sends a significant message that
corruption - in any form - will not be tolerated
and that government officials who violate
the public trust will pay a heavy penalty,”
said Attorney General Farber.
According to Criminal Justice Director Gregory
A. Paw, Barry C. Bowers, 64, Point Pleasant,
Ocean County, was sentenced by Middlesex
County Superior Court Judge Frederick P.
DeVesa to seven years in state prison and
ordered to pay $7,439 to the state Antitrust
Revolving Fund. The Court also ordered that
Bowers forfeit his government position and
be forever barred from future government
employment. Bowers was remanded to jail
immediately following the imposition of
sentence.
Bowers pleaded guilty on Nov. 29, 2005 to
a charge of official misconduct. As engineering
inspector for Old Bridge, Bowers maintained
responsibility for implementing the permitting
functions of the department, including fee
assessment and collection, applications
and plan review, permit issuance, inspection
and occupancy.
The February, 2005, state grand jury indictment
charged that from 1999 through 2003, Bowers
used his government position to repeatedly
induce, solicit, and accept gifts from developers
and/or contractors doing business in the
municipality. The indictment charged that
Bowers obtained benefits that included Andersen
windows valued at $7,439; a decorative exterior
railing worth $329; a replacement furnace
valued at $2,025 and installed at the residence
of an engineering department secretary;
kitchen cabinets and counter tops valued
at $13,023; Andersen windows and accessories
worth more than $1,500 and installed at
Bowers’ son-in-law’s Point Pleasant
residence; and the installation of a $1,200
garage door at Bowers’ son’s
Point Pleasant residence.
Director Paw said that Bowers is the third
former municipal employee to be sentenced
in the ongoing corruption investigation.
On Feb. 24, John P. Vincenti, 44, Brick,
Ocean County, and Ronald Concannon, 69,
Lakewood, Ocean County, were sentenced by
Judge DeVesa on charges of taking gifts
while a public servant. Vincenti, the former
Director of Community Development and Township
Engineer for Old Bridge Township, was ordered
to pay a $5,000 criminal fine, pay $3,500
to the state Antitrust Revolving Fund, perform
100 hours of community service, and serve
three years probation. Concannon was ordered
to pay a $4,000 criminal penalty, pay $3,000
to the Antitrust Revolving Fund, perform
400 hours of community service, and serve
five years probation.
“The
demanding of goods, services, favors, and
cash from private business in order to obtain
routine approvals and inspections is perhaps
the most insidious example of corruption
that is, unfortunately, considered ‘business
as usual’ by far too many government
officers. This type of corruption reaches
into all levels of government and truly
impacts the level of municipal services
and the quality of life in our municipalities,”
said Director Paw.
Deputy Director and Assistant Attorney General
Andrew Rossner and Deputy Attorney General
Steven Zweig coordinated the prosecution.
Supervising State Investigator Kim Karasiewicz
and State Investigators Susan Marshall and
Kimberly Allen of the Antitrust Procurement
Fraud Unit conducted the investigation.
Additionally, the Division of Criminal Justice
investigation was assisted by the administration
of Old Bridge Mayor James T. Phillips, the
Old Bridge Township Council, and the Office
of the Township Attorney.
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