Ex-Ridgewood inspector gets probation after stealing nearly half-million in quarters
MARCH 21, 2014, 7:35 PM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2014, 7:35 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
Veteran defense attorneys could only describe it as a sweetheart-like deal — a former town official being convicted of stealing nearly half a million dollars and walking away with a slap on the wrist instead of going to prison.
“It’s startling to see that type of plea bargain,” said Frank Lucianna, of the deal given to Thomas Rica. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Related: Ex-Ridgewood inspector admits to stealing $460,000 in quarters from village
The deal, which was orchestrated by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Rica’s attorney, Robert Galantucci, calls for the former Ridgewood public works inspector to receive five years’ probation when he’s is sentenced June 6. Rica also will have to repay the $460,000 in parking meter quarters he stole over a two-year period.
The sentence also caught village officials off-guard.
In a statement, Mayor Paul Aronsohn said that “the Prosecutor’s Office was clear with us that this was their investigation and their decision, and that we had no say in the matter.”
Aronsohn added: “We were surprised and disappointed that he wasn’t going to get jail time, but I appreciate the prosecutor’s determination to recoup all of the money stolen from Ridgewood taxpayers.”
Rica has to pay at least $2,000 a month over the next five years to Ridgewood, with a lump sum of $69,000 due at sentencing. Rica’s pension with Ridgewood will also count towards his overall debt, as will his unpaid personal time from the village.
Still, it’s the kind of plea deal any defense attorney would be thrilled to get for their client, Luciana said, especially since mandatory sentencing guidelines instituted by the state’s Supreme Court in 1979 imposed five- to 10-year prison terms for theft of anything worth over $75,000.
