Sacchinelli Pleads Guilty to Theft of Funds

Published Feb. 16, 2007

The former deputy mayor of Hamilton Township pleaded guilty to theft in Superior Court today and admitted he stole $4,280 from the Mays Landing Athletic Association's youth football program, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jeffrey S. Blitz said Friday.

John Sacchinelli, 46, of 107 Vail Court, Mays Landing entered his guilty plea before Superior Court Judge Albert J. Garofolo.

In exchange for his guilty plea, Chief Assistant Prosecutor James McClain said the state would not object to Sacchinelli entering the Pre-Trial Intervention Program if the court deemed him to be an appropriate candidate. If Sacchinelli is not admitted into pre-trail intervention, he will be sentenced on March 23.

As a part of the plea agreement, Sacchinelli, who is also employed by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, consented to the entry of an order of forfeiture for both his state job and his elected position. He resigned as deputy mayor on Feb. 5, the day he was arrested, said Blitz.

In court Friday afternoon, Sacchinelli, when questioned by the judge, admitted that he kept $4,280 in cash from registration fees he collected for the youth football league.

Sacchinelli had been a volunteer with the Mays Landing Athletic Association for nearly 20 years. In 2006, he was serving as the football league commissioner. Part of his responsibilities as commissioner was to collect the $65 registration fee for each child joining the football program. Parents paid the registration fees in cash or by personal check.

On Friday, Sacchinelli admitted he stoke the cash and used it for his own purposes, McClain said.

The Embezzlement occurred between June and September 2006. When the shortage was discovered, the association made repeated demands for payment in September and October.

Sacchinelli went to a township resident for help. The resident wrote his personal check to the association to replace the stolen funds, according to Blitz.

On Oct. 10, members of the prosecutor's financial crimes unit received information about Sacchinelli's alleged misappropriation of the funds. Financial Crimes Sgt. Sam Cucciniello, assisted by Sgt. Joseph Pope and Investigator Michael Ayo commenced an investigation that resulted in sacchinelli's arrest on Monday.

"The MLAA officials fully cooperated with the investigation," said Blitz.