7th Jersey City cop to plead guilty admits receiving $5k for no-show job

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The seventh Jersey City cop embroiled in a federal corruption probe pleaded guilty to receiving more than $5,000 in payments for a no-show off-duty security detail job, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.

Jersey City police

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

David Ortmann, 53, of Carlstadt, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez in Newark federal court earlier today.

From July 2015 through May 2016, Ortmann conspired with a Jersey City cop who was authorized to assign off-duty work. The officer – with Ortmann’s knowledge and consent – submitted phony vouchers to Jersey City indicating that Ortmann had completed certain off-duty assignments, authorities said.

As a result, Ortmann was compensated for work he never performed. According to the court documents, he received over $5,000 for the no-show job.

Ortmann faces a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

Pursuant to the plea agreement, Ortmann must forfeit the $12,617 he made as part of the conspiracy. Sentencing is set for Jan. 3, 2018.

Yesterday, Michael O’Leary, pleaded guilty to the same charge as Ortmann, admitting paying off another officer $40,000 in order to get compensation for no-show jobs.

His sentencing is also set for January 3rd of next year.

In September 2016, Juan Romaniello, the Jersey City Police Department’s former “pick coordinator” for the North District pleaded guilty to accepting $230,000 in corrupt payments.

Romaniello passed away this summer after a long battle with cancer.

Then in June, Anthony Iannicco, another former Jersey City cop, admitted to stealing roughly $55,000 as the result of an illegal off-duty job scheme.

Additionally, three officers pleaded guilty in July to getting paid thousands for no-show off-duty jobs: James Cardinali, 38, of Jersey City, Victor Sanchez, 37, of Hasbrouck Heights, and Christopher Ortega, 29, of Brick.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office also noted that the Jersey City Police Department is cooperating with the investigation.


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