2 Middlesex School Officials Charged With Stealing From Nonprofit

PISCATAWAY, NJ — Update, July 31, 2018: All charges have been dropped against Brian Bilal, but Joseph Armstead was indicted.

The assistant superintendent of the Middlesex County vo-tech school system was arrested Friday, April 13 and charged with stealing more than $32,000 from a nonprofit created to help urban youth. A principal at the Piscataway vo-tech school helped him steal, the Middlesex County prosecutor says, and he was arrested, too.

The shocking arrests were announced by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. The county prosecutor says that the two school administrators stole from a nonprofit organization that helps urban youth with tutoring and preparing college applications.

Joseph Armstead, 47, pictured above, of Washington Township, is the principal of the Piscataway Vo-Tech campus. Brian Bilal, 47, (unpictured) a Dunellen resident, is the Middlesex County Assistant Superintendent of Vocational & Technical Schools.

During the investigation it was determined that between March 2016, and August 2017, Armstead issued checks from the nonprofit to himself and Bilal, the county prosecutor said. Neither man was employed by the nonprofit organization. Their initial connection to the nonprofit remains unclear.

Armstead also burglarized the nonprofit facility and stole approximately $10,000 worth of property, which was recovered in a storage facility in Edison, police said. Detectives raided that storage facility with a search warrant.

In total, Armstead allegedly stole approximately $32,500, and Bilal received checks from Armstead in the approximate amount of $12,350 from the account of the nonprofit, prosecutors charge. Armstead also used a debit card from the non-profit for his own personal gain, the prosecutor charged.

The nonprofit was not named.

Armstead was charged Friday with two counts of theft in the third degree, one count of burglary in the third degree, and one count of money laundering in the third degree for stealing. Bilal was charged with one count of theft in the third degree, and one count of conspiracy to commit theft, for receiving unauthorized payroll checks that were issued by Armstead.

Armstead and Bilal were processed and released pending their initial court appearance in Middlesex County Superior Court on May 3, 2018.

The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Nee at (732) 562-1100 or Detective Tighe (732) 745-3287.

Photo credits: Top image via Shutterstock. Middle photo: John Armstead is pictured above, in his official photo from the Middlesex County public vo-tech school system.