Former Acting Essex County Prosecutor Honored By ARC

SHORT HILLS, NJ - Former Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino, a Short Hills resident, took a break from heading sex abuse task force for the attorney general to take home an award at The Arc of Essex County’s 5th annual Uncorked and Uncapped: Wine, Beer, and Food Festat The Wilshire Grand Hotel in West Orange, on Thursday, Sept. 27.

The event featured three uninterrupted hours of fine wine, craft beer, spirits and cocktails, a wide array of food samplings from local eateries, lively entertainment, a silent auction, and 50/50 raffle.

According to organizers, Laurino's relationship with The Arc of Essex County started surrounding his role as prosecutor when one of his cases started a national dialogue when his work was the subject of the book “Our Guys” by Bernard Lefkowitz, and the 1999 ABC TV television movie “Our Guys: Outrage in Glen Ridge”, which was based on his successful trial of several high school athletes in Glen Ridge who were convicted of sexually assaulting a young woman with an intellectual disability.

Throughout his service to the people of Essex County and across the State, Laurino has always exemplified the model prosecutor, understanding that the goal is to see justice done, officials said

Organizers noted he has brought that belief system to his time with The Arc of Essex County and as an advocate and supporter of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Currently, Laurino is heading up a task force to investigate allegations of sexual abuse by members of the clergy within the Catholic dioceses of New Jersey, as well as any efforts to cover up such abuse on behalf of Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal.

An experienced sex crimes prosecutor, Laurino will oversee a team of detectives and prosecutors from across the state’s County Prosecutor’s Offices and the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), and reports directly to DCJ Director Veronica Allende.

Grewal has authorized the task force to present evidence to a state grand jury, including through the use of subpoenas to compel testimony and the production of documents, in addition to other investigative tools.

(Photo courtesy of Arc of Essex County)

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