NJ Transit Employee From Beachwood Admits Taking Bribes to Influence Contracts

A New Jersey Transit employee pleaded guilty on Tuesday to taking more than $70,000 in bribes for himself and a supervisor from vendors to use his influence to get them NJ Transit contracts, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said.

William Talerico, 55, of Beachwood, pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls to one count of affecting commerce under color of official right.

According to documents and court statements, Talerico was a supervisor who oversaw maintenance and custodial functions for stations on NJ Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line and Northeast Corridor from at least January 2006 to April 2012. During that time, he accepted cash payments from numerous NJ Transit vendors; in exchange, he exercised his offical authority to assist vendors with getting work from NJ Transit.

Talerico also acted as an intermediary, delivering corrupt payments to an NJ Transit supervisor. Talerico received more than $70,000, for himself and the supervisor, in corrupt payments of cash and other items of value from vendors.

The extortion charge to which Talerico pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Talerico is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 6.

U.S. Attorney Fishman thanked the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, under the direction of Acting Attorney General John Hoffman and Elie Honig, Director of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, for their work in this investigation.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, two under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Joseph R. Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police,for their work in the investigation leading to the guilty plea.