Former Hoboken Assemblyman Carmelo Garcia’s Newark bribery case won’t be heard any time soon, with a continuance granted last week through June 1st.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The order for continuance was granted by U.S. District Court Judge Madeline Cox Arleo, the sixth for Garcia since 2023, “to permit defense counsel the reasonable time necessary for effective preparation in this matter and to allow the parties to continue plea negotiations.”
This is the 20th continuance granted since he was charged by complaint in November 2020, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to federal court documents.
Garcia, who was also the former director of the Newark Department of Economic and Housing Development, was initially accused by federal prosecutors of soliciting corrupt payments in exchange for helping businessmen acquire and redevelop properties.
He was indicted 11 months later, charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the city of Newark and the NCEDC of Garcia’s honest services facilitated by the use of interstate wire transmissions; 17 counts of honest services wire fraud; and four counts of use of interstate facilities to promote and facilitate bribery in violation of the Travel Act.
Two Newark businessmen face the same charges, while Garcia is also accused of three counts of receiving bribes in connection with the business of a federally funded local government and organization.
He pleaded not guilty in November 2021 and is being represented by Robert G. Stahl and Laura K. Gasiorowski, of Stahl Criminal Defense Lawyers, with offices in Westfield and New York City.
Also a former housing authority executive director in Hoboken and Irvington, Garcia served a two-year term as a state assemblyman between 2014 and 2015 after running on the Hudson County Democratic Organization line in 2013.
He choose not to seek re-election off the line and instead unsuccessfully sought the Hoboken 6th Ward council seat in November 2015.
The 20th continuance. And he continues to walk free. Absolutely ridiculous.
Judge is now emphasizing the “plea.” There’s a whole lot of pleas going on.
“Please, I don’t want to go to prison. Please, it’s not me on the tapes.”