Former Middletown Police Sgt. David Ringkamp Indicted

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A Monmouth County grand jury just returned a 22-count indictment against a former Middletown Township Police sergeant for crimes ranging from abusing his authority as a law enforcement officer to the illegal possession of three types of narcotics, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced Thursday.

The officer is David Ringkamp, 43, who used to live in Union Beach. He is charged with second-degree Engaging in a Pattern of Official Misconduct, six individual counts of second-degree Official Misconduct, five counts of third-degree Computer Criminal Activity, five third-degree narcotics offenses, two counts of fourth-degree Hindering Apprehension, two counts of fourth-degree Tampering with Physical Evidence, and a single count of fourth-degree Obstruction of Justice.

Immediately after he and his former wife were first arrested in December 2021, Ringkamp was suspended without pay from the Middletown Police force, said Middletown Police Chief R. Craig Weber.

He was terminated from the Middletown Police force on April 22, 2022.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor first started investigating Ringkamp in December 2021:

New York State Police alerted NJ State Police that Millstone, NJ resident Nicholas D’Ambrosio, 33, had purchased several kits to manufacture what are called “ghost guns” — untraceable makeshift firearms assembled from individual parts, which are illegal in the state of New Jersey.

Police say D’Ambrosio transported the kits to his vape shop, “JR Vapors,” in Millstone.

Police then observed Ringkamp and his now former wife, 31-year-old Amanda Ringkamp (a/k/a Amanda Belfiore), arrive at the vape shop, and help D’Ambrosio conceal the firearm parts in Ringkamp’s car, alleged the prosecutor. Upon police stopping the vehicle, Ringkamp identified himself as a sergeant with the Middletown Police Department.

Further investigation revealed that Ringkamp agreed to assist D’Ambrosio with removing the illegal firearm parts from the vape shop after D’Ambrosio realized the police were watching him, said the prosecutor.

A subsequent search of Ringkamp's car turned up the ghost gun kits, cocaine and dozens of methamphetamine pills. A search of JR Vapors revealed over 25 pounds of marijuana and marijuana edible products, a fully assembled “ghost gun,” and evidence that D’Ambrosio was illegally selling marijuana out of the store, said the prosecutor.

A search of Ringkamp’s Union Beach home several days later revealed additional illegal narcotics, including cocaine and anabolic steroids. Ringkamp and his former wife were arrested and charged with the aforementioned narcotics offenses, and later released on their own recognizance. It was also discovered that Ringkamp deleted text messages to hinder the investigation into both himself and D’Ambrosio, said Santiago.

Ringkamp is also charged with using law enforcement databases that he only had access to by virtue of his position to conduct searches on D’Ambrosio and other individuals on dozens of occasions over a three-year time period, in the absence of any legitimate policing purpose.

The case against Ringkamp will proceed with an upcoming Monmouth County Superior Court hearing that is yet to be scheduled.

D’Ambrosio already pleaded guilty and was sentenced: In August of this year, he was sentenced to eight years in state prison after pleading guilty to a second-degree drug charge, third-degree Possession of Ghost Gun Parts, fourth-degree Hindering Apprehension, a third-degree drug charge, and second-degree Manufacturing a Ghost Gun.

“The charges in this case should serve as a reminder that those who choose to put others at risk, regardless of their status, will be held accountable for their actions,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven James. "Mr. Ringkamp chose to engage in reckless behavior within the community he promised to protect."