El fiscal del condado de Ocean, Bradley D.. Billhimer anunció que en febrero 18, 2025, Michael Ruvo, 58, del río Toms, pled guilty to Theft by Deception and Tampering with Public Records before the Honorable Guy P. ryan, P.J.Cr.P., in connection with his former position as the Code Enforcement/Zoning Officer for the Borough of Beachwood. En el momento de su sentencia en abril 11, 2025, el Estado buscará un plazo de 364 días en la cárcel del condado de Ocean como condición de libertad condicional. Ruvo will also be required to forfeit any and all future public employment and make restitution in the amount of $2,800.
The guilty pleas are the result of an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office’s Professional Standards Unit-Economic Crime Squad. The investigation revealed that from September 2018 hasta marzo 2023, Ruvo was employed by the Borough of Beachwood in the position of Code Enforcement/Zoning Officer. In that capacity, Ruvo was responsible for conducting inspections to ensure compliance with various municipal ordinances, initiating legal proceedings against violators of municipal ordinances, and signing off on certificates of occupancy which permitted residences to be occupied. The investigation further revealed that Ruvo engaged in a number of unauthorized transactions wherein he utilized his position to gain unlawful personal benefits.
Específicamente, in June 2022, Ruvo issued a code enforcement violation to a property owner on Tiller Avenue. The property owner thereafter contacted Ruvo in his capacity as Code Enforcement Officer/Zoning Officer, advising she had received an estimate to bring the property up to code but was seeking an extension of time to remedy the violation. Ruvo then advised the property owner that he knew of a company that would perform the job for less money than the estimate provided to her, and in a timelier manner. Ruvo instructed the property owner to contact the company – Express Cleanout; investigation revealed that Ruvo was the owner of Express Cleanout and failed to disclose this fact to the property owner. Ruvo’s company then failed to complete the job in full. Despite not completing the work, Ruvo deemed the property to be in compliance in his capacity as Beachwood’s Code Enforcement Officer/Zoning Officer.
Además, in March 2022, Ruvo, in his capacity as Code Enforcement Officer/Zoning Officer, signed a certification stating that a property on Compass Avenue in Beachwood was abandoned. Ruvo was aware, sin embargo, that there was an occupant in the residence. Ruvo was further aware that the certification would be filed as part of a tax sale foreclosure, and that the foreclosure would proceed in an expedited matter due to his certification.
En septiembre 20, 2023, Ruvo surrendered himself to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office in the presence of his attorney. He was released on a summons pending future appearances in Ocean County Superior Court.
El Fiscal Billhimer reconoce los esfuerzos diligentes del Fiscal Adjunto Principal Christopher Heisler, quien está manejando el caso en nombre del Estado., and commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Professional Standards Unit-Economic Crime Squad, Equipo contra delitos de alta tecnología de la Oficina del Fiscal del Condado de Ocean, Departamento de policía de Beachwood, y la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ocean, for their collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation leading to Ruvo’s guilty pleas.