Charges of impersonating officer lodged

Charges of
impersonating
officer lodged

JACKSON — Police have arrested a 53-year-old Manchester resident and charged him with impersonating a police officer. Robert A. Pugliese voluntarily appeared at the Jackson Police Depart-ment on April 14 and was taken into custody without incident.

According to a release from the Jackson Police Department, Pugliese, a former New Jersey state corrections officer, harassed a 38-year-old Jackson female over a period of two weeks.

In early March, the victim was traveling in her vehicle on Atrium Way after leaving a Wawa convenience store at Manhattan Street and Bennetts Mills Road when she noticed a red Honda Civic drive up behind her, police said. Pugliese, who was driving the Honda, flashed his headlights repeatedly.

The victim stopped her car at a stop sign on Sixty Acre Boulevard when the suspect drove his car alongside her and identified himself as a police officer from the Manchester Police Department.

After instructing the woman to pull over, Pugliese approached the victim’s car on foot and displayed a silver-colored badge, again identifying himself as a police officer. According to the press release, Pugliese then entered the victim’s car and engaged her in conversation and solicited her telephone number.

After receiving a series of telephone messages from Pugliese requesting dates, the victim contacted the Manchester Police Department. Manchester police advised the victim that Pugliese was not employed by the township and referred her to the Jackson Police Department, according to the press release.

Detective Philip Cochran investigated and signed complaints charging Pugliese with impersonating a law enforcement officer. Bail was set at $10,000 by state Superior Court Judge Daniel Hyman.

Pugliese is retired on disability from his position as a New Jersey state corrections officer.

According to Detective Sgt. John Siedler, who also investigated the case, the badge that was flashed to the victim was seized by Jackson police when Pugliese turned himself in on April 14. Siedler said the badge was issued to Pugliese by the New Jersey state Department of Correc-tions.

According to the Jackson press release, Pugliese was lodged in the Ocean County jail, Toms River, because he was not able to make bail. Siedler was not able to say if Pugliese still remains in jail.

Anyone with information regarding this case or any similar incidents may contact Detective Cochran of the Jackson Police Department at (732) 928-1111.

— Cindy Tietjen