Officer Indicted in Official Misconduct/Stalking Case
Toms River, NJ – Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced today that the Ocean County Grand Jury returned a two count indictment on Wednesday (August 20) against Justin A. Delaney, 33, of Brick, NJ. Delaney is a Brick Township Police Officer who is currently suspended without pay. Delaney has been indicted for Official Misconduct, a second degree crime and Stalking, a fourth degree crime. Delaney is currently free on $30,000 no 10% bail.
The indictment alleges that between November of 2012 and May of 2013 Delaney used various social media, including “Instagram” and “Facebook”, to publish harassing, annoying, humiliating and alarming messages about a former girlfriend. Investigators were able to link the various social media accounts to Internet Protocol addresses that were registered to Delaney. Delaney is also alleged to have used a prepaid cellular telephone to make harassing and offensive text messages and phone calls to the victim.
The indictment also alleges that Delaney used a password he obtained in his official capacity as a law enforcement officer to access a law enforcement investigative data base without authorization. It is alleged that Delaney improperly accessed the data base after the victim asked Delaney for his assistance in trying to determine the source of the harassing telephone calls and text messages. Delaney allegedly accessed the data base and provided the purported results of that inquiry to the victim. Delaney created the false impression that the cellular telephone at issue was untraceable. Subsequent investigation revealed that Delaney was the person who procured the prepaid cellular telephone which was used to make the offensive and disturbing communications.
If convicted, Delaney is facing a maximum potential sentence for a second degree violation of the Official Misconduct statute of 10 years in New Jersey state prison with a stipulated period of parole ineligibility of 5 years. With regard to the fourth degree Stalking statute he is facing a maximum potential sentence of up to 18 months in New Jersey state prison.
The indictment was presented by Executive Assistant Prosecutor Michael Paulhus. The case will be prosecuted by Chief Trial Attorney Laura Pierro. The Ocean County High Tech Crime Unit is to be recognized for their significant contribution to the investigation. The Brick Township Police Department, specifically their Office of Internal Affairs, contributed and cooperated fully with the investigation.
The media and the public are reminded that criminal charges are merely accusations. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in court.
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