BRIELLE – A former Ocean Township Police Officer was sentenced to probation and a fine for theft and forgery related to his real estate job he did on the side.
Cory R. Cole, 52, of Brielle was sentenced to three years of probation, after paying $8,400 in restitution to two victims. Cole had previously resigned from the police department.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office said Cole had forged a letter from his former matrimonial attorney in order to falsely assert that a judgment she had against him for unpaid attorney’s fees had been satisfied, and he submitted the letter to secure a $425,000 loan he used to purchase a property on Borrie Avenue in Brielle.
Further, he retained $4,200 in security deposits from tenants at two separate properties on Fisk Avenue in Brielle. Police said he claimed they owed money in unpaid utility bills. Cole forged a bill from New Jersey Natural Gas falsely indicating that they had an outstanding balance.
Cole also forged a lease for a different property for one of his tenants so that they could satisfy residency requirements for the Brielle School District, police said.
“Sworn members of law enforcement are rightfully supposed to be held to a higher standard of conduct, not only on the job, but off – and this defendant’s actions were reflective of a troubling ease and willingness to lie, cheat, and steal from the very people who relied on him for the basic need of housing,” Acting Prosecutor Lori Linskey said. “His actions were not reflective of the overwhelming majority of responsible and dedicated police officers across the county, yet they nonetheless necessitated appropriate repercussions.”
