Secaucus Tax Collector Alan Bartolozzi was charged this morning with two counts of theft in the second degree, according to Hudson county Prosecutor Edward DeFazio. Second degree theft charges are issued when the amount of money allegedly stolen in excess of $75,000, DeFazio explained.
If convicted, Bartolozzi could face 10 years for these state charges alone.
These new charges are in connection with Bartolozzi’s work as Secaucus Tax Collector, which has been investigated for the last few months.
DeFazio said a grand jury could still consider additional charges later.
Bartolozzi was already facing one count of theft in the third degree for allegedly stealing $20,000 from the Secaucus Public Employees’ Association.
If convicted on that charge, Bartolozzi, who has been suspended without pay from his job, faces a maximum penalty of five years behind bars.
A judge this morning set bond at $200,000, which Bartolozzi has not yet posted. He was being kept at the Hudson County Correctional Center.
Bartolozzi and the Tax Collectors’ Office have been under investigation since February or March when accounting irregularities were discovered and the office was unable to balance its books.
The Tax Collection Office is a receiving office only and does not make payments or disbursements.
Since then, Secaucus Chief Financial Officer Margaret Barkala and various auditors have been investigating the matter to determine the reason for the shortfall. As required by state law, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office were alerted.
Although few details have been released to the public, the accounting problems appear to date back to at least 2005. Town Administrator David Drumeler said after Bartolozzi’s arrest that the town’s investigation continues and has not been completed.
Bartolozzi has been the Tax Collector in Secaucus since 1985. – E Assata
Wright
Secaucus tax collector arrested on theft charge
