New Jersey Criminal Defense Blog

The recent sentence of the former chief financial officer of Lincoln Park reflects the severe consequences of being convicted of official misconduct. Two years ago, New Jersey Attorney General guidelines were toughened regarding official misconduct charges, making it so that a convicted offender would have to serve a minimum sentence of five years without parole. Not having the opportunity of parole is a devastating penalty indeed. The former chief financial officer was sentenced under this exact guideline on September 22, 2009. According to an article, the 59-year-old man pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree official misconduct. He was originally charged with six counts of official misconduct and theft and could have been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The convicted man’s attorney stated that the new guidelines for a minimum sentence for official misconduct “strips defense attorneys, persecutors and judges of their roles of being able to treat cases individually on their merits and tailor just resolutions.” The attorney makes a valid point, particularly since the offenses committed by his client allegedly took place before the new guidelines were put into effect.