Paterson mayor, three city employees scheduled for court appearance in corruption case
By Paterson Times Staff
Published: September 22, 2017
Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres and three public works supervisors are scheduled to appear at the Hudson County Superior Court on Friday afternoon. This is the last day for the mayor and three supervisors to decide whether to take the plea deals offered by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
Torres was offered a plea deal in April that includes five years in state prison without parole. He will also have to forfeit his office, be barred from public employment in the future.
Joseph Mania, Imad Mowaswes, and Timothy Hanlon were offered non-custodial probation. Each man would have to forfeit his government job and be barred from public employment. Part of the agreement calls for the three men to testify against their boss.
All four men were indicted in March. Torres is accused of using public works employees to renovate a warehouse leased by his daughter and nephew. The six-count indictment charged the men with second-degree official misconduct, pattern of official misconduct, third-degree theft by unlawful taking or disposition, tampering with public records or information, and fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records.
Torres could face a longer prison term if he fights the charges and loses in court.