Paterson mayor Torres and three public works supervisors to be indicted
By Jayed Rahman
Published: March 7, 2017
Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres and three public works employees are expected to be indicted for corruption, according to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
Torres has been under investigation from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office for using public works employees to handle private projects including work at his Arlington Avenue home and brother’s liquor establishment.
Torres could not be reached for comments on Tuesday afternoon.
A private investigator hired by a local developer captured footage of public works employees doing odd jobs for the mayor. Some of those employees billed the city overtime while working on his private projects.
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office is expected to make the charges public in matter of hours. Three public works supervisors are also expected to be indicted, authorities said.
Torres, a three-term mayor, is expected to fight the indictment. He will be the second sitting mayor to be indicted. Former mayor Martin Barnes was indicted while he was in office. He fought the indictment and even ran for re-election, but was defeated by Torres.
Barnes was later sentenced to a three-year prison term. He was the first African-American mayor of Paterson.
Torres also made history when he won his first term as mayor in 2002. Torres, of Puerto Rican heritage, is the first Hispanic mayor of Paterson.
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