A real bad week on the corruption front

by: Jason Springer

Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 02:47:52 PM EST

Well, it's bad if you consider all the news that corruption is making. It's not bad that people are actually going down for their crimes. Capitol Quickies has an unfortunately long summary of the week's corruption pleas and sentencing. Let's take a peak at Tuesday:

On Tuesday, a former principal at the U.S. Wiggins Elementary School in Camden pleaded guilty to attempted theft for her role in a scheme to bill the district for more than $25,000 in extra wages for school meetings that never took place. Juanita Worthy, 61, of Evesham, pleaded guilty before state Superior Court Judge Stephen M. Holden in Camden County to third-degree attempted theft by deception, a charge contained in a March 19, 2007 state grand jury indictment. The state will recommend Worthy be sentenced on Feb. 6 to probation. Worthy previously resigned her principal position and will be permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey. More from state prosecutors here.
Also Tuesday, a former employee of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Leroy Robinson, 52, of Maplewood, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson to accusations he conspired with then Keyport mayor Joseph Merla to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds of unlawful activity, namely loansharking, with the intent to conceal and disguise the nature of those transactions. At his March 10 sentencing, Robinson faces up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. The guilty plea represents the most recent conviction to arise from Operation Bid Rig, the same investigation which has led to charges against more than 20 officials in Monmouth, Ocean and Somerset Counties, including convictions of the former mayors of Asbury Park, Ocean Township, West Long Branch, Brick Township, Hazlet and Keyport. More from federal prosecutors here.

A Housing Director, Elementary Principal, Turnpike Employee, Assistant with Taxation, Alarm contractor working with corrections, Community center trustee, and Sheriff faced some kind of music for different offenses and magnitudes. The common theme is that it didn't matter where in the state they were located, what field they were working in or how big the scheme was: corruption knows no boundaries.

Jason Springer :: A real bad week on the corruption front