Several
investigators and officers from the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office have been
suspended without pay, pending termination.
The charges
stemmed from an internal affairs investigation related to the New Jersey
Attorney General’s investigation of former Middlesex County Sheriff Joe
Spicuzzo, according to the current sheriff, Mildred S. Scott.
Spicuzzo was
sentenced in September to nine years in prison for running a jobs-forcash
scheme at the sheriff’s office. The 68- year-old Helmetta resident pleaded
guilty over the summer to a charge of accepting $25,000 in exchange for a job
in his office.
On Jan. 17,
Investigator Richard Mucia was charged with bribery, and Officer Bruce Kentos
was charged with conduct unbecoming of a public employee. Investigator
Christopher Jarema was charged with bribery; Investigator Thomas Varga was
charged with bribery; and Investigator Giancarlo Russo was charged with bribery
and conduct unbecoming of a public employee on Jan. 3.
Investigators
Daniel Link and Eric Strachan were suspended without pay on June 27 on charges
of conduct unbecoming of a public employee.
According to
Scott, the investigation involved a review of investigation materials provided
by the Attorney General’s Office on Oct. 11.
The investigation
will continue until a thorough review of all materials has been completed, and
all officers and investigators involved in any inappropriate action have been
identified and disciplined, she said.