No. Brunswick woman admits to taking bribes
Guilty plea comes as part of federal corruption probe in New Brunswick
BY JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer

NEWARK - A North Brunswick resident who worked as a supervisory clerk typist in New Brunswick pleaded guilty July 27 to accepting more than $3,000 in corrupt payments from contractors in exchange for official favors.

Linda Carol Roach, 55, admitted to using her influence to accelerate payments of rehabilitation contract money to Friendly Maintenance of New Brunswick and Taj Maintenance of Perth Amboy while she worked in New Brunswick's Department of Community Planning and Economic Development from January 2004 to September 2006, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. In her role as an office manager, she was responsible for processing purchase orders necessary for securing payments to contractors for rehabilitation work they performed.

Roach had previously admitted to receiving regular payments of $100 to $150 from both companies on Oct. 25. Banking records confirm the cashing of checks and records obtained from the city of New Brunswick reflect timely processed paperwork on Roach's behalf, according to the release. She was arrested on charges of extorting corrupt payments on May 24 based on a criminal complaint by special agents of the FBI and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General.

At her plea hearing last week, she admitted to accepting regular payments in exchange for the expedition of the payment of department checks to the companies. She faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Her sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 7.

"By now, it is painfully obvious that corruption was rampant and bribe-taking routine in New Brunswick's Planning and Economic Development Department," U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie said in the press release. "To date there have been five guilty pleas and I can assure the people of New Brunswick that we are not finished with our investigation and prosecutions."

Also arrested was William Walker, 34, of Pennsauken, a former director of housing rehabilitation for New Brunswick. He was charged in a 54-count indictment with extorting and accepting approximately $112,500 in corrupt cash payments and receiving discounted home improvement rates in exchange for official favors.

According to Walker's indictment, he was the director of the Neighborhood Preservation Project for the department from 2002-06, which included approving funding and contracts for the rehabilitation of substandard conditions in homes owned by qualified low- or moderate-income owners in New Brunswick.

The indictment alleges that between January 2004 and September 2006, Walker routinely received approximately $51,500 in corrupt cash payments from Friendly Maintenance and that he subsequently received discounted work from the company at his home in Pennsauken and rental property in Camden. Joseph McNulty and Sam John, the co-owners and operators of Friendly Maintenance, were awarded over $1.3 million in contracts.

McNulty, 42, of North Brunswick, and John, 48, of Sayreville, have already pleaded guilty to offering benefits to the New Brunswick development department.

The indictment also alleges that Walker routinely accepted cash payments from Taj Maintenance at the same time. Around $61,000 in illicit cash payments were received in exchange for him using his influence to award rehabilitation contracts to the company. George Thomas and Prakash George Karot were the co-owner/operator and manager/operator, respectively, and were awarded over $900,000 in contracts for rehabilitation projects within the city.

Karat, 37, of Perth Amboy, and Thomas, 38, of New York City, have pleaded guilty to giving benefits to multiple employees of the Department of Community Planning.

Walker faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each charge of extortion, 10 years for each count of bribery and five years for a charge of conspiracy to solicit and accept corrupt payments. Each count carries a $250,000 fine.

"The indictment and arrest of William Walker is another bitter pill for New Jersey's residents to swallow," FBI Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun said. "Corruption is rampant at high levels and at low levels and all levels in between. I again call on the citizens of New Jersey to call the FBI whenever they may be able to point out corruption in their community."

In addition, Richard Kaplan, 57, of New Brunswick, a former rehabilitation construction inspector and assistant zoning officer for New Brunswick, admitted to receiving regular corrupt payments and discounted work from contractors on a home he owned in exchange for expedited and lenient inspections.

Special agents of the FBI's Franklin Township Resident Agency, investigators from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office and members of the New Brunswick Police Department assisted in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian R. Howe of the U.S. Attorney's Special Prosecutions Unit in Newark.