NJ State Trooper Indicted, Threatened Women For Phone Numbers

A New Jersey state trooper has been indicted for stopping two women in an effort to try to force them into personal relationships, the Attorney General's Office announced. Eric Richardson, 32, of Camden, is accused of threatening to arrest two women if they didn't give him their phone numbers. He stopped them several times in 2016 and 2017, according to authorities.

Richardson is accused of stopping two young women repeatedly between August of 2016 and August of 2017, and using several methods to try to force them into a personal relationship.

The first alleged incident took place on Nov. 22, 2016, when authorities say he stopped a woman for driving with illegally tinted windows. Although her registration was expired, authorities say Richardson attempted to win favor with her by not towing the vehicle and letting her drive away.

However, he followed her and stopped her a second time, authorities said. He then insisted on getting her number, even though she said she was in a relationship, authorities said. Later, Richardson sent numerous texts to the woman using the number he obtained.

On Jan. 3, 2017, police said he falsely reported in the official dispatch log that he stopped to help her when, in reality, he stopped one of the women to ask her if she still had the same phone number. He deactivated the dashboard camera in his car during some of the stops, police said.

On Dec. 23, 2016, police said he told dispatchers and recorded in the official dispatch log on the computer that he stopped a man when in fact he stopped one of the women he allegedly was harassing. The stop occurred in Gloucester Township, and police said he threatened to arrest her if she didn’t give him her phone number.

Her license was suspended and she had a warrant out for her arrest. He pulled out his handcuffs, and threatened to arrest her but let her go after she gave him her phone number, authorities said. He then used the phone number to communicate with her, police said.

Richardson also illegally accessed the FBI—Criminal Justice Information Services database on behalf of a male friend to do a “driver inquiry” on a woman the friend employed to determine if her driver history reflected any warrants or drug activity, authorities said. Richardson photographed her driver history and texted it to his friend.

He has been indicted by a grand jury for the following offenses:

• Second-degree official misconduct;
• Third-degree criminal coercion;
• Third-degree tampering with public records or information;
• Fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records;
• Second-degree wrongful access/disclosure of information; and
• Fourth-degree obtaining information from a motor vehicle record.

Richardson was suspended by the New Jersey State Police after being charged by complaint in this case on May 31, 2017. He remains suspended.

The attached image of Eric Richardson was provided by the Attorney General’s Office