TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram announced
that the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice
today obtained an indictment charging state
Assemblyman Joseph Vas with conspiring as
mayor of Perth Amboy to obtain illicit gifts
and payments from city vendors, and laundering
money into his congressional campaign through
straw donors. The Attorney General’s
Office previously indicted Vas in March for
allegedly stealing city funds as mayor.
According
to Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni,
Vas, 54, was charged in an 19-count state
grand jury indictment along with his longtime
aide Melvin Ramos, 53, two corporations that
were city vendors, and two owners of one of
the corporations. Vas faces multiple second-degree
counts of conspiracy and official misconduct,
among other charges. The charges stem from
an investigation by the Division of Criminal
Justice Corruption Bureau.
“Time
after time, Vas exploited the trust placed
in him as mayor for his illicit gain, stealing
from his city,” said Attorney General
Milgram. “This indictment details a
variety of corrupt schemes, but a common thread
of arrogance and greed runs through all of
them. We will not tolerate public officials
who view tax dollars as the spoils of their
ascent to power.”
“Prosecuting
public corruption is a top priority for the
Division of Criminal Justice, and we will
continue to aggressively pursue any leads
we get regarding misconduct by government
officials,” said Director Gramiccioni.
“In this case, the thorough work of
our investigators has caused our leads to
multiply, resulting in more charges.”
The
new indictment charges Vas with four distinct
criminal schemes:
Free
Home Improvements
Between
May and November 2002, Vas allegedly had city
vendor Jenicar Builders Contractors Co., Inc.,
which is based in Newark and Kearny, perform
approximately $25,000 in work at his home
in the city, free of charge, including constructing
paver walkways, a paver driveway, a paver
patio, a concrete foundation for a shed, brick
columns, a cement sidewalk, and a cut-stone
window border.
Vas
and Jenicar face second-degree charges of
conspiracy and official misconduct in connection
with those home improvements.
Catering
Bill
Between
April and September 2008, Vas and Ramos allegedly
conspired with city vendor Imperial Construction
Group, Inc., which is based in Pine Brook,
and two of its owners - Frank Dominguez, 45,
of Chester, who is company president, and
Richard Briggs, 48, of Long Valley, who is
vice president - to have the company pay a
$58,006 catering bill for a ribbon cutting
ceremony at the new Perth Amboy Public Safety-Court-Community
Complex on April 19, 2008.
Vas
and Ramos allegedly had Dominguez and Briggs
add the cost of the catering to invoices Imperial
Construction submitted to the city under its
contract to provide project management services
for the construction of the new complex. Vas
and Ramos allegedly approved the invoices,
concealing the city’s payment for the
catering services, which were not bid and
authorized in compliance with state law on
local contracts.
Vas,
Ramos, Imperial Construction, Dominguez and
Briggs were each charged with conspiracy (2nd
degree), official misconduct (2nd degree),
theft by deception (3rd degree), false government
contract payment claims (2nd degree), false
representations for a government contract
(2nd degree), tampering with public records
or information (3rd degree), falsifying or
tampering with records (4th degree), and misapplication
of entrusted property and property of government
(3rd degree).
In
addition, Vas and Ramos are charged with pattern
of official misconduct (2nd degree), and Dominguez
and Briggs are charged with misconduct by
a corporate official (3rd degree).
Fraudulent
Campaign Contributions
Between
January and July 2006, Vas and Ramos allegedly
solicited city employees and others to make
fraudulent contributions to Vas’ 2006
campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives
for the 13th Congressional District. Ramos
allegedly paid cash to the people he solicited
to reimburse them for writing personal checks
payable to “Vas for Congress.”
Vas
and Ramos are charged with money laundering
because by structuring funds into the campaign
through people who falsely appeared to be
making personal contributions, they allegedly
sought to avoid applicable state and federal
currency transaction reporting requirements
in connection with deposits into the campaign’s
account at Commerce Bank. Banks are required
to report cash deposits of $10,000 or more
under federal reporting requirements.
Vas
and Ramos are each charged with second-degree
conspiracy and third-degree money laundering.
They are also charged with second-degree official
misconduct for the scheme. They allegedly
requested city employees to solicit contributions
during work hours, solicited city employees
and others during work hours, and used city
facilities and property for campaign activities.
Medical
and Eyecare Bills
Between
November 2004 and July 2005, Vas allegedly
stole $5,926 from the city by unlawfully authorizing
the submission to the city and approval of
payment of a personal medical bill for $5,322
he received from the Mayo Clinic of Jacksonville,
Fla., and a personal eyeglasses bill for $604
he received from Lenscrafters.
Vas
is charged with official misconduct (2nd degree),
theft by unlawful taking (3rd degree), and
misapplication of entrusted property and property
of government (3rd degree).
Attorney
General Milgram commended the attorneys and
investigators who are handling the case for
the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption
Bureau. Deputy Attorney General Dianne C.
DiGiamber Deal and Assistant Attorney General
Lewis Korngut presented the case to the state
grand jury. They were supervised by Assistant
Attorney General Boris Moczula, deputy director
of the Division of Criminal Justice, and Deputy
Attorney General Christine Hoffman, chief
of the Corruption Bureau.
The
investigation was led by Sgt. Dino Dettorre
and Detective Benjamin Kukis, assisted by
Lt. Daniel O'Brien, Sgt. Robert McGrath, Detective
Lee Bailey, Detective Melissa Calkin, Detective
Lisa Cawley, Detective Shaun Egan, Detective
Kiersten Pentony, Detective Robert Stemmer
and Civil Investigator Joseph Salvatore.
Second-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years
in state prison and a criminal fine of $150,000,
while third-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of five years in prison and a $15,000
fine. Fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of 18 months and a $10,000 fine.
The
second-degree charges against Vas and Ramos
for the catering scheme carry a mandatory
minimum of five years in prison without parole
because they involve conduct that occurred
on or after April 14, 2007. The theft and
tampering with public records charges against
them for that scheme carry a mandatory minimum
of two years without parole, and the fourth-degree
falsifying records charge carries a mandatory
minimum of one year without parole. The mandatory
minimums were established under a law signed
by Governor Jon S. Corzine in March 2007 that
enhanced the punishment of government officials
convicted of abusing their office and violating
the public trust.
The
indictment was handed up to Superior Court
Judge Linda R. Feinberg in Mercer County,
who assigned the case to Middlesex County,
where the defendants will be ordered to appear
to answer the charges. The indictment is merely
an accusation and the defendants are presumed
innocent until proven guilty. The indictment
is posted with this release at www.njpublicsafety.com.
In
March, the Division of Criminal Justice obtained
an indictment charging Vas with conspiring
with city employees to steal approximately
$5,000 in funds of the City of Perth Amboy.
The indictment charges that from 2003 to 2007,
Vas fraudulently obtained payment from the
Perth Amboy Recreation Department for personal
expenses, including fees for basketball camps
for his son, refreshments for his father’s
funeral, and hundreds of dollars for sportswear,
sneakers, beachwear and other personal items
for himself. In addition, Vas and his driver,
Anthony S. Jones, 48, were charged in a scheme
in which Vas allegedly rigged a public lottery
so Jones won the opportunity to buy an affordable
home through the Perth Amboy Home Program.
Yesterday,
Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra Jr. announced
an 11-count federal indictment charging Vas
and Ramos with, among other things, committing
mail fraud in connection with a scheme to
misuse Vas’ position as mayor to misappropriate
New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing Regional
Contribution Agreement funds in connection
with Vas’ sale of a multi-unit apartment
building to a contractor in 2006. Marra acknowledged
the assistance of the New Jersey Attorney
General’s Office in that investigation.
The
Division of Criminal Justice has established
a toll-free Corruption Tipline for the public
to report corruption, financial crime and
other illegal activities: 1-866-TIPS-4CJ.
Additionally, the public can log on to the
Division Web site at www.njdcj.org
to report suspected wrongdoing. All information
received through the Tipline or Web page will
remain confidential.
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