Galloway Man Admits to Taking Bribes While Acting as Atlantic City Inspector

A Galloway Township man who is a former Atlantic City inspector pleaded guilty to accepting cash bribes from a taxi operator and operators of massage parlors and “stress therapy centers,” Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced on Thursday.

Logan F. Holt Jr., 55, pleaded guilty to a second-degree charge of official misconduct.

Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Holt be sentenced to five years in state prison, including two years and three months of parole ineligibility. He will be permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey.

Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 21.

Holt was indicted in November as the result of an investigation by the New Jersey State Police Official Corruption Bureau and the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau.

Holt was an inspector with the Atlantic City Department of Licenses and Inspections, Mercantile Department, from 2002 until February 2012.

In pleading guilty, Holt admitted that on April 1, 2010, he accepted an $800 cash bribe from a taxi operator. In exchange, he appeared in municipal court and requested the dismissal of two tickets that had been issued for violations involving the condition of the operator’s vehicle.

He also admitted that on May 11, 2010, he accepted a $250 payment from the same taxi operator for allowing his cab to pass its annual city vehicle inspection.

“It’s always a serious crime when an official betrays his duties for a bribe, but it’s even more egregious when it involves ignoring rules that protect public health and safety,” Hoffman said. “Holt selfishly and callously put his wallet ahead of the public’s safety by allowing taxi operators to skirt requirements regarding the operating condition of their cabs.”

“Holt had the official authority to impose significant fines and repair costs on licensed operators in Atlantic City, but instead he used that power to solicit bribes,” Elie Honig, Director of the Division of Criminal Justice, said. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute this type of abuse of public office.”

The state’s investigation revealed that Holt also allegedly accepted cash bribes from owners and operators of several “stress therapy” and massage businesses on Atlantic and Pacific Avenues in return for refraining from enforcing ordinances and regulations governing the operation of those businesses.

The investigation was conducted for the New Jersey State Police Official Corruption Bureau by Detective Matthew Peeke, Detective Sgt. 1st Class David Caracciolo, Detective Anthony Carugno, retired Detective John Redkoles and retired Detective Karl Ulbrich.

The investigation began with a referral from the Atlantic City Department of Licenses and Inspections, which allegedly received a complaint that Holt had been soliciting bribes.

Hoffman and Honig noted that the Division of Criminal Justice has established a toll-free Corruption Tipline 1-866-TIPS-4CJ for the public to confidentially report corruption, financial crime and other illegal activities.

The public also can log on to the Division’s web page at www.njdcj.org to report suspected wrongdoing confidentially.