Raymond S. Santiago Sworn In As Acting Monmouth Prosecutor

FREEHOLD, NJ — Raymond S. Santiago was sworn in Friday as Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor, pending confirmation to a full five-year term by the New Jersey Senate.

Santiago, of Freehold, was nominated to the position by Gov. Phil Murphy late last month, and he promised to ensure the "fair and equal administration of justice" in the county.

He succeeds Lori Linskey, who served as Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor since June 2021. Linskey will remain with the prosecutor's office in an advisory capacity to assist with the transition, a news release from the office said.

Santiago's swearing-in was administered by Monmouth County Superior Court Assignment Judge Lisa P. Thornton at the Monmouth County Courthouse.

In his nomination, Murphy said Santiago's "extensive legal experience, which includes time both as a prosecutor and as a public defender, makes him well equipped to lead the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office in an even-handed and fair-minded manner."

Members of Santiago’s family, prosecutor’s office staff, Monmouth County officials, and local law-enforcement leaders all attended the event.

“Today marked the first steps into a role I view as a truly extraordinary honor and privilege. To the people of Monmouth County, I solemnly pledge to serve you to the very best of my abilities, and with a sense of fervor befitting the title,” Acting Prosecutor Santiago said.

“This will entail not only ensuring the fair and equal administration of justice, but also that this office will actively be an integral part of the very fabric of the communities we work to protect.”

The Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners congratulated Santiago:

"On behalf of the entire Board of County Commissioners, I am proud to welcome Acting Prosecutor Santiago to the Monmouth County team,” said Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone, who attended the swearing in ceremony.

“I have full confidence that Acting Prosecutor Santiago will serve the residents of Monmouth County to the best of his ability and utilize his extensive background to lead the entire Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.”

Santiago, 48, will now assume responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Prosecutor’s Office, including management of a staff of approximately 280. He is also responsible for the coordination of the law-enforcement efforts of nearly four dozen municipal police departments and two college police departments.

Santiago was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 1996 and received his law degree from the City University of New York School of Law at Queens College.

In 1999, he was sworn in as an Assistant District Attorney at the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, and upon leaving that office, he entered private practice. He is admitted to the bar associations in New Jersey, New York, the U.S. District Court of New Jersey, and the U.S. District Courts of the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Santiago most recently headed the law offices of Santiago & Associates, P.C., based in Freehold, a law firm that focuses on the litigation of criminal and immigration law.

He has also served as a public defender for municipalities in Monmouth County and as a pool attorney for the State of New Jersey Public Defender’s Office, Monmouth Vicinage, since 2002, where he has assisted indigent defendants faced with various crimes or offenses.

Santiago has lived and worked in Monmouth County for over 20 years.

Santiago is the second prosecutor of Hispanic descent in the history of the office, following Luis A. Valentin, who served from 2005 to 2011. Murphy said last month that Santiago's nomination "furthers our commitment to ensuring that leadership at all levels of law enforcement reflects the great diversity of our state.”