Disgraced Passaic Co. Mayor Charged After Running For Former Office: AG

PATERSON, NJ — A disgraced former mayor's attempt to get back to city hall could land him more time in the big house. Joey Torres — previously imprisoned for misconduct from his time as Paterson mayor — was charged Friday after launching a campaign for the position, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.

As mayor, Torres directed city employees to work at a private warehouse leased by his daughter and nephew on the city's dime. He pleaded guilty in 2017 to second-degree conspiracy to commit official misconduct, getting sentenced to five years in prison.

Torres was released from prison in late 2018 after serving 13 months behind bars, since the plea agreement gave him the opportunity to serve for a lesser charge, according to northjersey.com. But Torres's plea bargain prohibited him from public office or employment.

The former officeholder made a public speech Feb. 12, stating he was running for mayor of Paterson in this year's election, urging audience members to vote for him, according to the criminal complaint.

Torres went to the Paterson City Clerk's Office on March 4 and presented a stack of 1,150 purported signatures supporting his candidacy. The office rejected the nominating petitions, according to state officials. As a result, Torres filed a civil action seeking to compel the clerk's office to accept the petitions, citing irreparable harm if he couldn't run, the complaint states.

The former mayor's plea deal states that if Torres makes any application for public employment, he is subject to a fourth-degree charge of criminal contempt. The attorney general's office charged him Friday via complaint-summons.

“State law provides that any person convicted of a crime involving their public office will be forever barred from holding another public position in New Jersey,” said Acting Attorney Matthew J. General Platkin. “To promote public trust and integrity in government, we must ensure that this law and the court orders issued to implement it are rigorously enforced.”

If convicted, fourth-degree crimes carry up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Torres first won a seat on Paterson City Council in 1990, serving for five teams. The Democrat served as mayor of New Jersey's third-largest city from 2002-10. He was again elected for the position in 2014, running as an independent candidate. Torres was arraigned on corruption charges in April 2017 and was forced to step down from his mayoral seat the following September after pleading guilty.

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