Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said a grand jury indicted five Edison police officers today on multiple charges including official misconduct, participating in a pattern of official misconduct, and theft.
Officials say Sergeant Ioannis (John) Mpletsakis, 39, Patrolman Paul Pappas, 44, Patrolman James Panagoulakos, 32, all of Edison Township, Patrolman Gregory Makras, 34, of Cranford, and Sergeant Brian Rossmeyer, 41, of Bedminister were charged in an 11-count indictment with two counts of official misconduct in the second degree, participation in a pattern of official misconduct in the second degree, financial facilitation of criminal activity in the second degree, conspiracy to commit the crime of financial facilitation of criminal activity in the second degree, theft by unlawful taking in the second degree, and theft by deception in the second degree.
In addition, Sergeant Ionnis “John” Mpletsakis was charged with promoting organized street crime in the first degree, while Patrolman Gregory Makras was charged with hindering prosecution in the third degree, uttering a forged document in the fourth degree, and fabricating physical evidence in the fourth degree.
The indictment was handed up in New Brunswick following an investigation by the Edison Police Department’s - Internal Affairs Unit and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was presented to the grand jury by Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Christine D’Elia.
The investigation determined that between November 14, 2016, and May 7, 2018, these police officers of the Edison Police Department were getting paid for extra-duty jobs which they were not present for. These extra-duty, or "side jobs," were in addition to the regular hours which they as members of the Edison Police Department were assigned to work.
These officers, who volunteered to take these extra assignments, had full police responsibilities while assigned to the extra-duty jobs. These assignments included directing traffic for utility companies as well as providing security services for local businesses and residential communities.
“While the Edison Police Department has recently taken important steps to ensure that the extra-duty jobs are now assigned and completed in a legitimate fashion, this investigation is very much active and continuing.”
-Andrew Carey, Middlesex County Prosecutor
Mpletsakis has been a member of the Edison Police Department for 16 years, Pappas for 14 years, Panagoulakos for 4 years, Makras for 7 years, and Rossmeyer has been with the department for 11 years.
The officers are scheduled to appear in Superior Court in New Brunswick on December 6, 2018.
The investigation is active and is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Captain Kenneth Schreck of the Edison Police Department at (732) 248-7453, or Detective Nicholas Chiorello of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3848.
As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against these individuals are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.