Cop Stole $4,200, Forged Lease In Brielle: Prosecutor

BRIELLE – An 18-year veteran police officer was charged Monday with theft and forgery related to a rental property he owned in Brielle, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.

Cory R. Cole, 49, of Brielle is charged with third-degree theft by failure to make required
disposition of property received, and two counts of fourth-degree forgery.

“We will continue to hold police officers accountable and reiterate the message that no one is
above the law,” said Gramiccioni.

The charges were filed after an investigation revealed that the Ocean Township police officer entered into a lease with a woman who agreed to rent a property owned by Cole in Brielle, according to the MCPO.

The woman provided Cole with a $4,200.00 security deposit on Aug. 27, 2019. The lease required Cole to maintain the security deposit in a bank account during the term of the lease, and assuming she did not damage the property, to return the money to her at the end of the lease, the MCPO said.

The woman never moved into the residence as Cole kept pushing back the move-in date. A review of bank records revealed that Cole deposited the $4,200 into a bank account, and that he depleted the funds within days, withdrawing the bulk of it in cash, the MCPO said.

The investigation further revealed that to satisfy the Brielle School District’s residency inquiries with respect to the woman’s children, Cole uttered a forged lease to the school district indicating that the victim had moved into a different property that he owned in Brielle, which was in actuality being rented by someone else, the MCPO said.

“It is a sad day for the Ocean Township Police Department. We are shocked, embarrassed and angered by this event. The Ocean Township Police Department is a highly professional organization and we will not let the actions of one officer overshadow the great work and dedication by the men and women of this department,” said Ocean Township Police Chief Steve Peters.

Cole remains suspended without pay by the Ocean Township Police Department.