Middletown BOE Candidate Has Arrest Record On Drug Charges

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — One of the candidates running for Middletown school board this year has been arrested multiple times and charged with a prescription drug charge and forgery charges for prescription drugs, according to a search of New Jersey court records, which are made publicly available by the state.

The candidate is Justin Meehan, who is running with Ashley Studd and Kelly Del Sordi as part of the Be The Change slate.

Meehan, then 28 years old, was arrested on Sept. 3, 2009 by NJ State Police on the Garden State Parkway South through Sayreville. According to their arrest report, State Police charged him with one count of possession of prescription legend drugs (2C:35-10.5).

Patch contacted Meehan for this story and he said that in that incident, State Police troopers stopped a car occupied by himself and a work colleague. He said the prescription drugs belonged to his colleague. He said he hired a lawyer, fought the charge against him and on the advice of his lawyer, ended up pleading guilty to a disorderly persons offense.

Then, about two months later, on Nov. 9, 2009 Meehan was arrested for a second time inside the Neptune Township Walgreens on Rt. 66.

At 9:13 a.m. on that date, police say he tried to pass a forged prescription to the Walgreens pharmacist in an attempt to obtain a controlled dangerous substance. Police say he knowingly passed the forged script.

In their report, a copy of which was obtained by Patch, Neptune Twp. Police did not specify what the drug was.

Meehan was placed in handcuffs in that incident and charged with three criminal offenses: Forgery (2C:21-1), criminal attempt (2C:5-1A) and attempting to obtain a controlled dangerous substance by fraud (2C:35-13). He was booked at Neptune Twp. police headquarters and released on a summons to appear in court.

On Wednesday night, Meehan was interviewed by Patch to discuss the charges: He said he was asked by a friend to fill the prescription for him. He said he did not know what the prescription was for and as soon as he went to fill it, he was questioned by the pharmacist and police were called. He said the DEA became involved in the investigation, and that his friend was eventually prosecuted for the drug charges. He said Neptune Twp. Police dropped the three charges against him after he agreed to work with both them and the DEA on the investigation.

At the time of both of these arrests, Meehan was 28 years old and living in Old Bridge.

He is now 42 and lives in the Belford section of Middletown. He works as a public school teacher in the Old Bridge school district and is a youth soccer coach. This is his first time running for Middletown school board.

"In addition to being a youth soccer coach, to be a public school teacher in Old Bridge I have to pass background checks every year, and I always pass," he said. "In America, you are innocent until proven guilty and I have never been convicted of a crime."

In New Jersey, a person cannot teach in public schools if they have ever been convicted of a first- or second-degree crime.

A search of Meehan's records shows he has never been convicted of that level of crime.

"My running mates are aware of my past history," he said. "In Neptune Township, the charges were dropped. I have made mistakes or used poor judgement in my past."

It is a very competitive election this November for the Middletown school board. Here is who is running:

• Frank Capone: Putting Children First slate
• Jacqueline Tobacco: Putting Children First slate
• Caterina Skalaski: Putting Children First slate
• Ashley Studd, Be The Change slate
• Justin Meehan: Be The Change slate
• Kelly Del Sordi: Be The Change slate
• Mark Soporowski: Independent, running on his own

The election will be Nov. 7, and Middletown residents will be asked to vote for three.

Here's Who's Running For Middletown School Board In 2023 (Sept. 2023)