Judge Thompson is admitted to PTI

Former Municipal Court Judge Richard B. Thompson was admitted to the pre-trial intervention programs by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office–meaning he will not serve any prison time and the charges he pleaded guilty to will be dismissed if he stays out of trouble for one year, according to a report at app.com. 

Thompson will be eligible to have his criminal record expunged six months after successfully completing the program.

Thompson, 62, of Middletown, pleaded guilty last month to one count of fourth degree Falsifying Records.

As the Municipal Court Judge in nine Monmouth County towns, Thompson altered records of approximately 4000 traffic tickets, according to an announcement by Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni. In his scheme which occurred between January 2010 and the date of his suspension in October of 2015, Thompson converted fines for motor vehicle infractions to contempt of court penalties.  He admitted that the purpose of the scheme was to enable towns that hired him to keep the money collected from wayward motorists rather than split it with Monmouth County, as required by state law.  The scheme cost Monmouth County’s treasury more than $500,000.

Thompson earned $217,400 per year, combined, as the part-time municipal Judge for Bradley Beach, Colts Neck, Eatontown, Middletown, Neptune City, Oceanport, Rumson, Tinton Falls and Union Beach.  Gramicionni’s announcement made no mention of the status of Thompson’s pension.

According to app.com, Judge David Bauman said that Thompson’s admission into the PTI program was the prosecutor’s decision, not the court’s.