Essex County Fire Inspector Sentenced for Taking Bribes from Prostitution Business

A former Jersey City municipal fire inspector was sentenced on Tuesday to one year and one day in prison for accepting bribes in return for his assistance in providing prostitution businesses with certificates of occupancy and advance notice of inspections or law enforcement activity.

Phillip Procaccino, 56, of Belleville, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to obstruct, delay and affect interstate commerce by extortion under color of official right.

In addition to the prison term, a federal judge sentenced Procaccino to serve one year of supervised release.

According to court documents and statements, Procaccino admitted that on Oct. 23, 2013, he accepted $2,500 in exchange for his official assistance in obtaining a certificate of occupancy for a massage parlor, which also operated as a prostitution business. Procaccino also offered to provide notice of impending inspections from Jersey City authorities so the owner and employees could preemptively hide evidence of prostitution.

In addition, Procaccino agreed to take 10 percent of future profits from a separate prostitution business in exchange for a certificate of occupancy and one day’s advance notice of any police activity targeting the business.

Both prostitution businesses were located in Jersey City, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey.