Sandy Contractor Admits $750K Theft From Toms River Homeowner

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Seaside Heights man has pleaded guilty to more than $1 million in fraud related to Superstorm Sandy renovations, the Ocean County prosecutor's office has announced.

Robert Brower, 45, pleaded guilty in three separate cases on Monday, Jan. 28 before Superior Court Judge Therese A. Cunningham, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

In the first case, Brower pled guilty to second-degree theft for taking more than $750,000 from a Toms River homeowner and failing to complete the work on his home.

Brower contracted with a Toms River homeowner to repair his Sandy-ravaged home and during the course of the project, Brower repeatedly asked for additional funds to move the project forward. The homeowner agreed to provide the additional money as Brower would not finish the project.

Brower admitted in court that he left the house unfinished and stole in excess of $750,000 for his own use, including to buy narcotics, Billhimer said.

In the second case, Brower pled guilty to second-degree financial facilitation of criminal activity (money laundering). He admitted that he stole more than $225,000 from a grant he received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under the Landlord Repair Program.

In February 2016, Brower received a $229,395 grant from the program to repair 33 Sampson Ave. in Seaside Heights, but then transferred the funds to a bank account he created using his deceased father’s Social Security number and date of birth to conceal the proceeds of the theft. Brower then used the money for other purposes, the investigation found.

"Brower admitted that he converted those funds for his own use and tried to disguise his theft by using his father’s pedigree information," Billhimer said.

In the third case, Brower pled guilty to distribution of 18 folds of heroin to an individual in a Toms River parking lot in February 2018.

The prosecutor's office recommended a sentence of 7 years in the theft from the homeowner, 10 years in the HUD fraud case with 5 years of parole ineligibility, and 5 years in the drug distribution case, when Brower is sentenced, which is scheduled for March 15. Brower is being held in the Ocean County Jail pending sentencing.

Detective Stephen Shadiack of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Unit investigated the fraud cases. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Toms River Police Department, Seaside Heights Police Department, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department and United States Marshals Service assisted with the investigation and Brower's arrest.

Ocean County Senior Assistant Prosecutor Jill O’Malley and Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Heisler represented the state.

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Robert Brower photo provided by Ocean County Prosecutor's Office