The former Sewer Operating Division employee, Thomas Hughes, has been charged with bribery for accepting payments to influence his official duties in connection with illegal dumping at the Princeton Sewer Operating Plant, according to the Princeton Police Department.
Hughes, who lives in Browns Mills, was fired on June 6 as the result of a joint investigation by the Princeton Police Department and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office into illegal dumping at the Princeton Sewer Operating Plant on River Road.
Hughes’ case has been referred to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, and he is slated to make his first appearance in Mercer County Superior Court on June 27, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office was called in to investigate, following allegations of improper dumping and improper use of town equipment and staff, according to Planet Princeton.
It has been alleged that several private contractors dumped dirt and asphalt at the River Road site, and also used it as source of cheap equipment and labor, Planet Princeton reported.
A driver admitted that he was dumping dirt at the River Road Convenience Center that had come from the Mary Moss Park playground on the corner of John and Lytle streets, according to Planet Princeton.
It is the contractor’s responsibility to get rid of the dirt, but Hughes allegedly allowed several truckloads of dirt to be dropped off in exchange for $75 in cash per load, according to Planet Princeton.
Princeton Town Administrator Marc Dashield said the town’s Health Department, along with county and state environmental officials, had inspected the Sewer Operating Division site on River Road to determine if there were violations of environmental regulations.
Meanwhile, Princeton received a notice on June 11 from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection that materials had been disposed of at the River Road site without proper approvals, Dashield said.
As a result of that notice, the town is attempting to hire a licensed site remediation specialist to advise on the necessary cleanup actions, Dashield said.
Also, the town terminated its contract with ICUNJ, which is the contractor for the Spruce Street and Linden Lane road project, because of its alleged improper dumping of materials at the River Road site, Dashield said.
