EDISON — Three of the five Edison police officers who have been charged with being paid for extra-duty jobs for which they were allegedly not present made their first appearance alongside their attorneys in Middlesex County Superior Court.
The officers, Sgt. Ioannis (John) Mpletsakis, 38, Patrolman Paul Pappas, 43, and Patrolman James Panagoulakos, 32, all of Edison, appeared before Judge Michael A. Toto on July 10.
Assistant Prosecutor Christine D’Elia said attorneys have asked for more time for discovery. She said the attorney for Sgt. Brian Rossmeyer, 41, of Bedminister, thought the court appearance was adjourned. The attorney was present, but Rossmeyer was not. The attorney for Patrolman Gregory Makras, 33, of Cranford, requested another court date because he had another commitment in federal court on the same day.
D’Elia said a new court date is set for Aug. 21 for all five officers. She said a plea deal will be discussed in the meantime, which will include the officers forfeiting their employment as police officers and restitution for the money taken in the part-time jobs.
The five officers were each charged on June 1 with two counts of official misconduct in the second degree and one count of theft by unlawful taking in the third degree, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
After the court appearance, Pappas’ attorney, Jeffrey Ziegelheim, of Alterman and Associates LLC, Marlton, said there have been no discussions about plea deals, which D’Elia discussed during the court hearing.
“I don’t know what she’s [D’Elia] talking about,” he said.
During an investigation between Nov. 14, 2016, and May 1, it was determined certain police officers of the Edison Police Department had allegedly been getting paid for extra-duty jobs for which they were not present, Carey said. The side jobs were in addition to the officers’ regular hours, during which a member of the police department is assigned to work for the town, he said.
The officers who volunteer to take the extra assignments have full police responsibilities while performing the extra-duty assignments. The extra-duty assignments include directing traffic for utility companies at work sites and providing security services for local businesses and residential communities, Carey said.
In Edison, there is no centralized system of assignment for the extra-duty jobs. Instead, Carey said, several individuals in the police department have wide discretion as to who gets the assignments.
Payment for the side jobs is billed through the township’s payroll for police services. The fee charged includes an administrative fee and an additional fee for a police vehicle when one is required, Carey said.
All five police officers identified by the prosecutor were immediately suspended from their jobs without pay, according to municipal officials.
Mpletsakis has been a member of the Edison Police Department for 16 years, Rossmeyer for 11 years, Makras for seven years and Panagoulakos for four years.
In addition to the charges announced on June 1, Pappas, who is a 14-year veteran of the police department, is already facing computer theft/criminal activity and stalking charges from April after he allegedly slashed his former girlfriend’s car tires in New Brunswick while he was on duty in March.
Pappas had allegedly been making unauthorized full disclosure inquiries into the New Jersey Criminal Justice Information System and using information to stalk his ex-girlfriend, according to the prosecutor’s office.
On June 13, the Edison Township Council approved a resolution authorizing the use of competitive contracting for the management and administration of the Edison Police Division’s off-duty detail management.
Police Chief Thomas Bryan has said he has limited the allowance of extra-duty jobs in the department.
Anyone with information about the incidents may call Capt. Kenneth Schreck of the Edison Police Department at 732-248-7453, or Detective Nicholas Chiorello of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-5217.
