Ocean Jury Finds South Jersey Man Guilty Of Theft By Deception

TOMS RIVER, NJ – An Ocean County jury has found an unregistered contractor guilty of defrauding eight county residents for taking money they paid for home improvements and not doing the work, a spokesperson for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

Robert Cardell, 55, of Salem was found guilty of eight counts of third degree theft by deception and eight counts of fourth degree unregistered home improvement contracting, said spokesman Al Della Fave.

Cardell approached eight Ocean County residents many in their 70s and 80s between September 2016 and April 2017 and took deposits for repair work he promised to perform and never did, Della Fave said.

Cardell also misrepresented himself as a fully insured and registered home improvementcontractor, which he was not.

"The defendant then fabricated multiple stories as to why the work was not started," Della Fave said. "In some instances, the defendant would return to ask the victims for more money – fabricating a story about having to spend the initial deposit on hospital bills for an injured grandson."

Each count of theft by deception is punishable by up to five years in New Jersey state prison. Each count of unregistered home improvement contracting carries a possible maximum of 18 months in prison, he said.

Cardell, who was detained during his trial, was ordered remanded back to the Ocean County Jail in Toms River, by Superior Court Judge Therese Cunningham.

All of the eight victims, Edward McBride of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Jeff Marchitello of Farmers’ Insurance, and Officer Michael Bennet of the Brick Township Police Department were among the witnesses to testify for the state.

Photo: Courtesy of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.