Crime & Safety

Former Sparta Mayor Convicted of Official Misconduct, Computer Theft

Brian Brady, 52, a suspended captain with the New Jersey Human Services Police, used police databases for personal use.

A former Sparta councilman and mayor, and suspended captain with the New Jersey Human Services Police was convicted Tuesday of misusing police databases for for personal use, the Attorney General's Office said.

Brian Brady, 52, was convicted following a six-week bench trial of second-degree counts of official misconduct and computer theft. 

Brady faces up to 10 years in prison for each of the charges. The official misconduct charge carries a mandatory minimum term of five years without parole, while the computer theft charge carries a period of parole ineligibility equal to one-third to one-half of the sentence imposed. 

Brady also will be required to forfeit his public position and will be permanently barred from public employment. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

Brady was acquitted of other counts of official misconduct, theft by deception and tampering with public records.  Those charges related to Brady allegedly submitting fraudulent time sheets that indicated he was working when he was traveling for personal or business reasons, and that he used a state vehicle, state gas card and state-issued E-Z Pass on the personal trips. They also related to allegations that he filed fraudulent firearms qualification certificates. 

Brady was the third highest ranking officer in the Human Services Police, reporting to the chief and the director.  DHS immediately suspended Brady when he was charged by complaint in May 2011. 

The Human Services Police provide police services at the developmental centers and psychiatric hospitals operated by the Department of Human Services.  They also are assigned to protect offices and case workers for the Division of Youth and Family Services.

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“This captain apparently thought that the rules of his department and the laws of this state did not apply to him, because he repeatedly broke them to suit his own purposes," Acting Attorney General Hoffman said. "This verdict demonstrates that nobody is above the law."

The state presented testimony and evidence that Brady directed a subordinate employee to conduct background checks on members of his minor league baseball team using the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, a secure database that is strictly regulated and restricted for police purposes. He also directed subordinate officers to use the police database and state databases to run a background check on a home health aide he was considering hiring for his mother.

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“This police supervisor repeatedly treated a restricted law enforcement database like his personal information clearinghouse, even running background checks on all of the members of his minor league baseball team," Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice said. “There’s no room in law enforcement for this type of rogue behavior.  I commend the trial team and investigators for ensuring that justice was done in this case."


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