State Trooper Harassed Women In South Jersey, Tried To Cover It Up: Police

A New Jersey state trooper was charged with tampering with records to hide the fact that he was stopping female drivers to try to force them into personal relationships, the Attorney General’s Office announced.

Trooper Eric Richardson, 31, of Camden, was charged by complaint-summons with third-degree tampering with public records or information and fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records. He will be suspended from his position as a state trooper as a result of the charges.

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.

Police allege he threatened to arrest one of the women unless she gave him her phone number. He then sent her text messages, and communicated with both women on social media.

He is also said to have promised not to impound the unregistered vehicle of one of the women. In another incident, police allege he promised not to arrest one of the women on an active warrant.

In order to cover up the alleged activity, Richardson is accused of several records violations.

On Dec. 23, 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.

On Jan. 3, police said he falsely reported in the official dispatch log that he stopped to help a driver 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.

Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000, while fourth degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

The charges will be presented to a state grand jury for potential indictment.

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