El fiscal del condado de Ocean, Bradley D.. Billhimer anunció que en mayo 6, 2022, John Bishop, 57, of Celebration, Florida, se declaró culpable ante la Honorable Lisa A.. Puglisi, J.S.C., to Theft by Failure to Make Required Disposition in violation of NJSA. 2C:20-9. En mayo 9, 2022, Bishop’s business partner, Paul Rueda, 50, of San Diego, Texas, pled guilty before Judge Puglisi to the same charge of Theft by Failure to Make Required Disposition in violation of NJSA. 2C:20-9. Both defendants’ guilty pleas relate to their stealing funds through contractor businesses they operated between October 2014 y puede 2017 in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy in Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex Counties. At the time of sentencing on July 15, 2022, the State will be recommending a term of four years New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) for Bishop, and five years NJSP as to Rueda. As part of their plea agreements, Bishop has agreed to pay $178,425 in restitution to the victims; Rueda has agreed to pay $542,800 in restitution to the victims.
An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crimes Unit revealed that Bishop and Rueda formed John Paul Building, LLC, in November 2012. The investigation further revealed that six homeowners throughout Ocean, monmouth, and Middlesex Counties entered into contracts with John Paul Builders, LLC, to repair their homes following Superstorm Sandy. Collectively, these homeowners paid John Paul Builders, LLC, en exceso de $350,000, which the defendants agreed to use to complete the projects. The homeowners received little to no work on their projects, sin embargo, and the company disbanded without returning any of the funds to the homeowners.
Después, between July 2016 y puede 2017, Rueda entered in agreements with four additional homeowners under his newly formed contracting business, PKR Construction. These homeowners paid PKR Construction a total of $363,575 towards construction projects on their properties. Although some work was done by PKR Construction, Rueda converted the victims’ funds to his own personal use and benefit, and failed to complete the projects.
El Fiscal Billhimer reconoce los esfuerzos diligentes del Fiscal Adjunto Principal Christopher Heisler, quien está manejando el caso en nombre del Estado., así como la Unidad de Delitos Económicos de la Fiscalía del Condado de Ocean, Departamento de policía de Little Egg Harbor, Departamento de policía del municipio de Brick, Departamento de policía del condado de Point Pleasant, and Middletown Township Police Department, for their collaborative assistance in connection with this investigation leading to Bishop’s and Rueda’s guilty pleas, y pronto sus sentencias de prisión estatal.