Former County Employee Wants Day In Court On Corruption Charges

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ — The former executive director of the Mercer County Park Commission and former Rutgers University men's basketball coach who is facing corruption charges wants his day in court. Kevin Bannon, 60, of Lawrenceville, was previously indicted for using his position to divert thousands of dollars meant for the county to a non-profit he controlled.

He is also accused of arranging unauthorized benefits for himself, his family and others at county expense, according to Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino. This includes VIP concert tickets and free golf at county golf courses.

He has pleaded not guilty and is not interested in pursuing a plea deal, the Princeton Packet reports. He was fired last year, and his wife has been harassed online by at least one former Mercer County employee.

Bannon is charged with six counts of second-degree official misconduct; one count of second-degree pattern of official misconduct; one count of second-degree misapplication of entrusted property and property of government; one count of third-degree theft by unlawful taking; and one count of third-degree theft of services.

The allegations are related to Bannon's "Friends of Mercer County Park" non-profit group. He ran the group with his brother, whom he allegedly hired as a project manager for the park commission so that he could run the non-profit, according to authorities. His brother is not charged in this investigation.

Bannon was fired after he was asked to take a temporary leave following the revelation that the Mercer County Park Commission and the non-profit Friends of Mercer County Parks were the subjects of aninquiry by the Office of the State Attorney General. The non-profit was formed to support and promote the Park Commission.

Bannon served Mercer County for over 12 years, and his attorney has called the allegations “laughable.”
He was also the Scarlet Knights coach from 1997-98 to 2000-2001, when he was fired for reportedly holding free-throw shooting contests in which players were forced to remove their clothes if they missed a shot.

The attached image of Kevin Bannon was previously provided by the Attorney General's Office