Former County Sheriff’s Investigator from Monmouth Junction Charged with Assisting Spicuzzo in Collecting Bribe

A former Middlesex County sheriff’s investigator from Monmouth Junction was arrested today on charges that he assisted former Sheriff Joseph C. Spicuzzo in collecting a bribe from an individual seeking a position in the sheriff’s office.

Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced that Darrin P. DiBiasi, 43, of Monmouth Junction, surrendered today to New Jersey State Police Official Corruption Bureau detectives on a complaint and warrant charging him with second-degree official misconduct. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison.  

DiBiasi allegedly collected a $13,000 bribe for Spicuzzo from an individual who was hired as a sheriff’s investigator in early 2005, according to the Attorney General's office.  

DiBiasi appeared before Superior Court Judge Anthony J. Mellaci Jr. in Monmouth County before he was released without bail. DiBiasi resigned from his job as a sheriff’s investigator last month, according to the Attorney General's office.

DiBiasi is the second employee of the sheriff's office to face charges for allegedly serving as an intermediary by collecting a bribe for Spicuzzo from an individual seeking to be hired as a sheriff’s investigator, according to the Attorney General's office.  

“This is the second sworn member of the Sheriff’s Office to be charged with acting as a bag man for Sheriff Spicuzzo by allegedly collecting a bribe,” Dow said via press release. “The allegations against Spicuzzo and his co-defendants paint a disturbing picture of abuse of power and contempt for the law by men who took an oath to uphold it.”

In March, Sheriff’s Officer Paul Lucarelli, 45, of South River, was also charged with conspiracy to commit official misconduct and conspiracy to commit bribery, which are both second-degree offenses.

According to the Attorney General's office, Lucarelli allegedly collected and delivered a $25,000 bribe to Spicuzzo.  Lucarelli was suspended without pay from his position as a sheriff’s officer.

On March 7, Spicuzzo, 65, of Helmetta, was charged by complaint with second-degree charges for a pattern of official misconduct and bribery.  He was the Middlesex County Sheriff for approximately 30 years.  

The charges stem from an ongoing investigation by the State Police Official Corruption Bureau and Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau, according to the Attorney General's office.

“Law enforcement officers are rightly held to a higher standard of conduct, but we allege that Spicuzzo turned that principle on its head by enlisting new recruits and subordinates in his corrupt scheme of personal enrichment,” Taylor said via release.

According to the Attorney General's office, on two or more occasions in 2007 and 2008, Spicuzzo allegedly demanded that different individuals pay him bribes in return for appointments as new sheriff’s investigators or for promoting them within the sheriff’s office.  

Sheriff’s officers are hired through the civil service system, while sheriff’s investigators are appointed by the sheriff.

Spicuzzo allegedly solicited and accepted individual bribes of up to $25,000 from new hires for investigator positions, and he took bribes totaling at least $50,000, according to the Attorney General's office.  

Under state law, second-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison and a criminal fine of $150,000.  

Following Spicuzzo's arrest, he resigned as Middlesex County Democratic Party chairman after 16 years in the position. In addition, Spicuzzo also resigned as a commissioner on the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, a position he held since Dec. 2009.

If convicted, Spicuzzo and Lucarelli both face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison without parole, due to the fact that they were accused of conduct that occurred after April 14, 2007, which is the effective date for New Jersey’s statutory sentencing enhancements for public corruption.  

DiBiasi doesn't face the mandatory minimum because his alleged conduct occurred before that date, according to the Attorney General's office.

The charges against DiBiasi, Spicuzzo and Lucarelli are accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The charges will be presented to a grand jury for potential indictment.