*Press
Release* Date: February 4, 2009
Middlesex
County Prosecutor’s Office
Union official pleads guilty to thefts
Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J.
Kaplan announced that a former union official, employed at
Deborah Gorden, (DOB 4/7/54) of North Brunswick, pleaded
guilty to a count of misapplication of entrusted property, admitting she took approximately
$6,300 from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
Local 2269, while she served as treasurer for the union. At the time of the
thefts, she was working at the Office of the College Registrar at the county college.
She
had been charged after an investigation revealed she was cashing checks from
union funds. Included was a check for a personal loan, in the amount of
approximately $4,500.
Investigator Donald Heck of the
Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit, and Capt.
Christine Rutowski of the Middlesex County College Police Department began the investigation
after newly-elected union officials uncovered financial improprieties and
contacted the prosecutor’s office.
Gorden also pleaded guilty to a theft
charge, admitting she took $628.06 from the North Brunswick Township High
School Soccer Parents Association between January 2006, and February 2006,
while she served as treasurer of that organization.
An investigation determined she wrote
three checks, two to herself and one to pay her utilities bill.
Under a plea agreement negotiated
with Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Brian D. Gillet, the defendant faces
a probationary term of up to five years when she is sentenced April 24 in the
Middlesex County Courthouse by Superior Court Judge Frederick DeVesa.
Two co-defendants accused in the
misapplication of union funds have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting further
court action.