Public Works Supervisor Stole Atlantic Co.-Owned Fuel For His Business: Prosecutor

MAYS LANDING, NJ — An Atlantic County public works employee and three others were charged with theft after authorities discovered county-owned diesel fuel was being used to fill up trucks for a private business, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said.

Joseph L. Ridley, 47, was charged with second-degree official misconduct, second-degree pattern of official misconduct, third-degree theft by unlawfully taking and third-degree conspiracy to commit theft, officials said. Ridley, a Mays Landing resident, is a supervisor in the Roads and Bridges Department within the Atlantic County Department of Public Works.

The charges stem from an incident on May 27, 2025, when Atlantic County Fleet Management authorities saw a large box truck being fueled at the county-owned fueling station in Northfield, officials said. When staff approached the truck, the vehicle operators drove away, authorities said.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office's Professional Standards and Accountability Unit launched an investigation. This investigation found that a diesel bypass code used in the computer system authorized the fueling, officials said. Ridley had given the code to employees of his business, Z5 Logistics LLC, authorities said. Records show that this is an interstate freight carrier based out of Mays Landing.

On June 2, prosecutor's office detectives apprehended employees of Z5 Logistics LLC as they were fueling the business trucks at the Atlantic County fuel site without authorization, officials said. The employees, along with Ridley, were arrested.

Investigation is ongoing to determine just how much fuel was stolen.

The others charged in this are:

• Zakar Ridley, 26, Mays Landing - disorderly persons theft by unlawful taking
• Jason Meredith, 34, Absecon - disorderly persons theft by unlawful taking
• Corey Smith, 27, Pleasantville - disorderly persons theft by unlawful taking