Paterson Mayor, DPW Supervisors Charged With Corruption

Paterson Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres and three DPW supervisors were indicted on official misconduct and conspiracy charges Tuesday, Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced.

The six-count indictment against Torres, Joseph Mania, Imad Mowaswes and Timothy Hanlon includes charges of conspiracy, official misconduct, pattern of official misconduct, theft, tampering with public records and falsifying or tampering with records.

Torres and the three supervisors were indicted in an ongoing investigation by the state Division of Criminal Justice and the New Jersey State Police corruption bureaus. They are being processed on the charges at the Totowa State Police Station.

The indictment alleges that, at Mayor Torres had Mania, Mowaswes and Hanlon performed work and assigned subordinates to perform work while "on the clock" for the city at a private warehouse at 82 East 15th St. leased by “Quality Beer,” a limited liability company formed by Torres’ daughter and his nephew. The work, including renovation, painting, carpentry, and electrical work, was allegedly performed while the three supervisors and other DPW employees were working for and being paid by the City of Paterson.

“This is a case of old-school public corruption and abuse of power,” said Attorney General Porrino “Mayor Torres is alleged to have misappropriated public resources and workers to advance a family business, and his co-defendants allegedly joined in his blatantly crooked scheme. We have zero tolerance for this type of abuse of public office in New Jersey.”

The work was allegedly performed from July 2014 and April 2015, Porrino said. The daughter and nephew were going to use the warehouse as a wholesale liquor distribution facility, but they terminated the lease after they failed to obtain the necessary state permits and license.

Mania allegedly submitted false time-keeping records to the city, including overtime verification forms and bi-weekly timesheets, authorities allege. The other defendants are also charged with falsifying the records.

The co-defendants could face up to 30 years in prison and $450,000 in fines on the conspiracy and official misconduct charges alone.

Mercer County Superior Court Judge received the indictment, but assigned the case to the Bergen County vicinage, where the defendants will be arraigned on the charges.

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Photo: Jose "Joey" Torres — Mike Derer/Associated Press