Former Hudson County Superintendent of Weights and measures has been charged with stealing over $250,000 from the county, Prosecutor Wayne Mello announced.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Frank Alonso, 58, of Union City, is charged with three counts of official misconduct, pattern of official misconduct, two counts of theft by unlawful taking, and theft by unlawful taking, Mello said in a statement.
He was arrested at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Secaucus earlier today and released pending his first court appearance.
On various dates between January 2024 and January 2026, the defendant diverted funds intended for the Hudson Regional Health Commission, the Office of Weights and Measures, and the New Jersey Weights and Measures Association into accounts to be used for personal gain.
In a separate complaint, he is charged with third-degree theft for using checks without the authorization of the account holder for personal gain.
The reported thefts exceed $250,000.
Back in January, Hudson County immediately suspended Alonso when the theft was reported and he was later terminated from his position.
In the June 10th, 2025 primary, Alonso ran with Tony Hector for state Assembly in the 33rd LegisLative District on then-Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop’s “Democrats for Change” gubernatorial ticket. They also had the backing of North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco.
The duo lost handily, roughly a 70-30 margin, to Assemblyman Gabriel Rodriguez and Larry Wainstein, who were backed by the Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO) and state Senator (D-33)/Union City Mayor Brian Stack.
Then this past October, the Hudson County Board of Commissioners voted to move the Division of Weights and Measures to the law department, after being under the sheriff’s office for years, as HCV first reported.
This came from the recommendation of Hudson County Craig Guy’s Office on September 25th.
Alonso spoke at the meeting, indicating that that his division makes between $200,000 to $250,000 annually in registrations and and indicated that the outstanding balance of the weights and measures bank account was approximately approximately $718,500.
No one from the county mentioned his employment status or job performance at the meeting one way or the other at the time.
” … I applaud the prosecutor’s office for carrying out this investigation and I pledge to assist in any way possible. I remain fully committed to leading an open and honest county government where those who betray the public’s trust are held accountable,” Guy said in the statement shortly after the charges were announced.
“Since moving the Office of Weights and Measures under the Law Department to provide better oversight of the agency, I am proud to say we have had no issues with the unit since the transition … As county executive, I will continue prioritizing an honest, transparent government that residents can trust in.”
Guy also reiterated that situations like this show that there is a need for a county inspector general’s office, which he called for five days after ex-County Parks Department Director Russell Fallacara pleaded guilty to a $1.5 million vendor kickback scheme, both as HCV first reported.
Editor’s note: This story was updated with a comment from Hudson County Executive Craig Guy.
