Ex-Ridgewood inspector apologizes for stealing nearly half a million dollars in quarters
JULY 9, 2014, 2:39 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2014, 2:57 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
HACKENSACK — Ridgewood’s former public works inspector repeatedly apologized on Wednesday for stealing nearly half a million dollars in loose parking meter quarters from the village.
“I am sorry for what I have done,” Thomas Rica told Judge Patrick Roma moments before being sentenced to five years’ probation. “I am very sorry. I’m…I’m just sorry.”
Rica, who lives in Hawthorne, was employed by the village for 10 years before his arrest early last year.
As part of a plea deal accepted by Roma Wednesday, Rica plead to four counts of third-degree theft, and will pay back a little more than half of what he admits he stole from his former employers.
Rica admitted in March to taking the coins over more than two years from a storage room within Village Hall.
Defending the plea agreement Wednesday, Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor Daniel Keitel said it took months to negotiate and will “get as much of the money back to the public as quickly as possible.”
Had the state tried Rica for second-degree theft, Keitel said he may have faced five years behind bars, but would not have been legally bound to return any of the stolen money
Rica’s lawyer, Robert Galuntucci, handed Keitel a check during Wednesday’s proceedings for $64,337.55 — his client’s initial downpayment.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ex-ridgewood-inspector-apologizes-for-stealing-nearly-half-a-million-dollars-in-quarters-1.1048475#sthash.KjdspT3o.dpuf
So much for most of it getting paid back. Per the article:
Presented $64,337.55 check— his client’s initial downpayment. The deal calls for Rica, who also forfeited his $30,000 pension, to pay the village $2,000 a month for five years, for a total of $120,000. Ridgewood will also keep $4,000 it seized during a search of Rica’s home following his arrest. That puts Rica’s restitution at just under $250,000.”
$250,000 is not most of $460,000.
I wish it were a combination of jail and restitution. If I could only get one imposed, I would be much happier if he got 5 years prison time. The current situation is very wrong. Steal big enough and you can negotiate away your jail time. Steal a small amount and you go to jail. Just wrong.
crime does pay
Did he pay NJ and federal taxes on his stealings ?
“I am sorry for what I have done,”
Translation:
Thanks for letting me off with a quarter-million dollar bonus.
bull shit he is sorry . he is so full of it. stay the hell out off ridgewood dirt bag. so many of us new something was up with you.
now that he is gone, who is the new lap dog in town, hummmmmmm
Somebody must have come up with the figure of $64,337.55 with a formula of some kind. Where did that come from?
Discussed at 7/9 council meeting.
Peter.
huh peter who, who said peter.
Say sorry to the Feds https://www.irs.gov/uac/How-Do-You-File-a-Whistleblower-Award-Claim-Under-Section-7623-(a)-or-(b)
I have a question here who was watching the hen house. Who is responsible for not noticing almost a half million bucks missing? As far as the deal he was in the good old boys club and had something on someone
yes he had info on the top. hey he could of talked,